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Zimbabwe Development – 349 and 177 all out in 54.2 overs (Brian Chari 59, Tarisai Musakanda 24; Shehan Madushanka 3/25, Sanjaya Chathuranga 3/50, Kasun Madushanka 2/33)

Sri Lanka Development – 346 and 185 for 5 in 41 overs (Anuk Fernando 61*, Sandun Weerakkody 35; Carl Mumba 2/54, Luke Jongwe 2/25)

Sri Lanka Development won by five wickets

CARL Mumba put on a sterling bowling performance for the Zimbabwe Development, but could not prevent the Sri Lankans wrapping up a five-wicket victory shortly after lunch on the final day of their four-day match at Harare Sports Club yesterday.

The day started with Sri Lankan on 38 for one and needing 181 to win, with opening batsman Pabasara Waduge on 22 and the night watchman Anuk Fernando yet to score. Fernando was the more aggressive of the two, especially against the pace bowling of Victor Nyauchi.

Mumba took the first wicket of the day when he trapped Waduge leg before wicket for 30 with a fine full-length delivery to leave the score at 69 for two.

Luke Jongwe replaced Nyauchi and struck almost immediately, as Lahiru Milantha (6) drove a low catch into the covers.

Fernando escaped a low catch in the slips off Mumba while on three and Charith Asalanka showed more aggression than in his monumental first innings when he hit two early boundaries off Mumba.

Mumba, however, got his man, as he burst through Asalanka’s defence, bowling him for nine and Sri Lanka on 97 for four.

Zimbabwe had hope of victory with Mumba the potential match-winner, but he had already bowled for more than an hour without a break.

Sri Lanka’s hundred came in the 25th over. Sandun Weerakkody was in fine form and Zimbabwe urgently needed to remove him, but Mumba was rested for Nyauchi.

Weerakkody laid into the left-arm spin of Wellington Masakadza, hitting him for 18 runs in two overs, and the Sri Lankans were now closing in on victory.

However, Weerakkody went for a big leg-side swish off Nyauchi and was caught at the wicket on 35 off 39 balls.

The score at lunch was 145 for five, with Fernando on 38 and Rumesh Buddika two.-

Fernando pulled the first ball after lunch from Nyauchi for four as Sri Lankan went for victory.

Fernando is clearly better than the average night watchman and reached his fifty off 64 balls. He was dropped by wicketkeeper Nyasha Mayavo off the bowling of Nyauchi immediately after scoring his half century with the visitors on 165.

The batsmen proceeded with no further problems and sealed victory when Fernando swung a ball from Dylan Hondo over the leg-side boundary for six.

Mumba, who bowled superbly throughout the match to take eight wickets, finished with two wickets for 54 runs in this innings and Jongwe two for 25.

The vital factor in this match was the failure of most Zimbabwean batsmen in the second innings. – ZimCricket