Turning Points

Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, World Cup 2011, Pallekele

Tillakaratne Dilshan took 18 runs off the second over  •  AFP

Tillakaratne Dilshan took 18 runs off the second over  •  AFP

1.1 Panyangara to Dilshan, FOUR, skiddy length delivery that angles in to the pads, Dilshan goes through the straight drive with a flick of the wrists, and mid-on dives over the ball to let it through.
4.4 Price to Dilshan, FOUR, Dilshan takes Price on, lovely use of the feet, gets to the pitch and opens up to drive it past short extra cover.
24.6 Cremer to Tharanga, FOUR, another short shocker, Tharanga gladly cashes in, rocking back and thumping it emphatically in front of square.
44.4 Mpofu to Tharanga, OUT, falls just short of the world record for the highest opening partnership of 286, came down the track for another lofted one over extra cover, for once, it did not come off cleanly, went high in the air more than anything else, and was taken cleanly way inside the boundary, do Zimbabwe have some respite? Not.
19.5 Muralitharan to Chakabva, OUT, Murali works his magic, the doosra gets Chakabva, almost the perfect delivery, tossed up and pitched around off stump on a length, drew the batsman forward, and just moved past his forward push to hit off stump, that will do, Sri Lanka have the breakthrough, after ages.
24.1 Mathews to Taylor, OUT, and strikes right away, it is the big fish, it was the slower one, the angle and the fuller length lured Taylor into going for the lofted shot over midwicket, but he ended up hitting it straight to the man in the end, Taylor is disgusted with his shot as he walks back.