Mahela Jayawardene struck a scintillating century as Sri Lanka thumped Zimbabwe by 14 runs via
Duckworth-Lewis method in a rain-marred Group B match to brighten its Super
Eight prospects in the Twenty20 World Cup here on Monday.
Beaten by New Zealandin its previous outing, a win was imperative for the Lankans who rode on
Jayawardene’s masterly 64-ball 100 — fourth century in the history of Twenty20
Internationals — to post 173 for seven. Jayawardene hit 10 fours and four sixes
before falling to Ray Price.
Revised target
Zimbabwe’s
chase ran into a rain interruption after the first over from Ajantha Mendis.
Play did resume after 66 minutes with the minnows chasing a revised target
of 104 runs from 11 overs, but another weather disruption greeted four overs
later when it was 29 for one.
Consequently, the Duckworth-Lewis method was invoked and Zimbabwe was found 14 runs behind Sri Lanka.
Zimbabwe has little time
to recover as it returns on Tuesday to face New Zealand. — PTI
Sri Lanka: M. Jayawardene c Cremer b Price 100 (64b, 10x4, 4x6), T. Dilshan
c Mpofu b Chigumbura 2 (4b), T. Perera c Chigumbura b Lamb 23 (19b, 1x4, 2x6),
K. Sangakkara c Price b Cremer 3 (7b), D. Chandimal c Mpofu b Utseya 9 (8b,
1x6), A. Mathews c Ervine b Lamb 4 (6b), C. Kapugedera c Masakadza b Price 13
(6b, 2x6), S. Jayasuriya (not out) 3 (3b), L. Malinga (not out) 2 (3b); Extras
(lb-5, w-9) 14. Total (for seven wkts. in 20 overs) 173.
Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-80, 3-96, 4-113, 5-138, 6-166, 7-166.
Zimbabwe(revised D/L target 44 in five overs): H. Masakadza (run out) 4 (6b), T. Taibu
(not out) 12 (13b), B. Taylor (not out) 11 (11b); Extras (w-2): 2; Total (for
one wkt. in five overs): 29.
Fall of wicket: 1-10.
Sri Lankabowling: Mendis 2-0-9-0, Malinga 1-0-6-0, Jayasuriya 1-0-8-0, Randiv 1-0-6-0
