Sri Lankan batsman Kusal Perera scored his maiden Test century on the opening day of the first Test against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday.

He needed just 104 deliveries to reach the milestone. Kaushal Silva and Perera rode their luck to reach 282/2 as Zimbabwe dropped a series of catches.

Silva (94) fell just short of a Test hundred while Dimuth Karunaratne managed a half century. 

Zimbabwe had hoped to push Sri Lanka in their 100th Test match, and first under new coach Heath Streak, but were instead dogged by familiar problems with their fielding.

Dimuth Karunaratne survived an early chance to make 56, and although he fell in the afternoon session when he was caught at midwicket off the bowling of Graeme Cremer, three further dropped chances cost the hosts dearly. Peter Moor, the wicketkeeper, was unable to hold onto two thin edges — one from Silva and one from Perera — before Malcolm Waller dropped a simpler chance from Perera at long-on.

As a result, Silva went to tea unbeaten on 92, while Perera’s streaky innings had progressed to 37.

Earlier, Carl Mumba, the fast bowler, had become Zimbabwe’s 100th Test player as they marked their 100th game in the format, and nearly took a wicket with his first ball when he found the shoulder of Karunaratne’s bat, only for Sean Williams to put down a one-handed effort as he back-pedalled at gully.

Sri Lanka handed debuts to Lahiru Kumara, the teenage fast bowler, and Asela Gunaratne, the allrounder, having been forced to leave five first-choice players back home due to injury.