Sri Lankan fast bowlers take control of match

One wonders what would have happened if Sri Lanka had won the toss yesterday and had the opportunity of bowling on such a moist wicket. If they had bowled with anything like the control and venom that they displayed today they could well have been umplayable. All of the Sri Lankan's have bowled with greater pace and control. More impressive was the movement that were able to produce in near cloudless conditions. Far from being young and raw these bowlers are aware of the variations that can be produced through suttle changes in the position of the wrist.

Kaushalya Weereratne was the pick of the bowlers. Playing in just his third first class match his rate of improvement is quite astonishing. Charging to the wicket in the hot evening sun he displayed a maturity and skill far beyond his tender age of 19 years. He swung the ball more than anyone so far on this tour. Whats more he appears to bowl quicker with every spell that he bowls.

It was his partner, Dinusha Fernando, a recent pupil of the bowling academy, who took the first wicket of the innings. A tall man with a high whippy action he trapped Neil Ferreira (0) LBW in just the third over of the innings. Ferreira's partner, Gavin Rennie (3), was then dismissed in a near identical fashion. Slow to move his feet and slightly off balance, Rennie missed a delivery from Weereratne that swung back into him and was quickly adjudged LBW by the umpire.

Mark Vermeulen (10) had promised so much before the series started but has delivered little. He started confidently with two extra cover drives but soon succumbed to the swing of the wily Weereratne. Expecting the ball to swing away from him, Vermeulen played outside the line of the ball and was clean bowled by a delivery that went straight on; Zimbabwe 28-3 in the 10th over.

Craig Wishart (38*) is another yet to deliver on this tour. He has responded well to the pressure though with a commanding innings that has so far included seven boundaries. Most of which have been punched through the offside. He was joined at the crease by Daniel Peacock who had batted so well in the Kurunegala match. Unfortunately for Zimbabwe he was unable to repeat his heroics and was caught behind in the 21st over off the bowling of Dilhara Fernando.Another recent pupil of the bowling academy Dilhara Fernando also impressed generating real pace and bounce from this slow wicket.

Andy Blignaut (4*) then joined Wishart at the crease for the final overs. Primarily in defensive mode he nonetheless looked secure. After breaking down as a bowler for the second consecutive match he will know that he owes his teamates a big score tomorrow. With two of their best batsmen now at the crease Zimabawe cannot afford to lose early wickets in the morning.

Earlier in the day Thilan Samaraweera (106*) had scored a composed and stylish century after a miny recovery by the Zimbawean's in the morning. Immediately after the drinks interval Angus Mackay struck with two quick wickets; Avishka Gunawardena(140) who was caught behind and Kumar Sangakkara (1) who caught at cover. Despite the inroads made just before and after lunch the Zimbabwean bowlers were still guilty of bowling inaccurately on a wicket that has offered them more assistance than any other so far on this tour. This was highlighted by their figures, both Blignaut and Mutendera going for nearly five runs per over.

Thilan Sammaraweera is normally known as a bowling all-rounder. On this occassion he looked very much a top order batsmen. Although perhaps used to facing more potent bowling attacks he deserves great credit for holding the innings together at time when the Sri Lankans looked intent on throwing away their advantage, slipping to 246-4 just before the luncheon interval. In contrast to Avishka Thilan accumulated his runs and only indulged in some improvisation after he had reached his century, in the moments before the declaration. The other batsmen to score was Indika De Saram (61) who notched up another fluent half century after being dropped last night.