Kandy, Sri Lanka, Jan 18 (AFP\/APP): Skipper Craig Ervine and an attacking Sikandar Raza set up a 22-run series-levelling win for Zimbabwe in the second one-day international against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka hit a maiden ODI century but his 102 went in vain as Zimbabwe kept down the hosts to 280-9 and level the three-match series at 1-1 in Kandy.<\/p>\n
Raza smashed 56 off 46 deliveries after Ervine’s 91 to guide Zimbabwe to 302 for eight while electing to bat first.<\/p>\n
Ervine capitalised on a strong start in a 106-run third wicket partnership with Sean Williams, who made 48.<\/p>\n
“It was quite nice to bat, it was coming on nicely,” Ervine, who was named man of the match, said after the win.<\/p>\n
“We were under a bit of pressure to win today, but hats off to the boys for coming out and showing that, you know, desperation to pull off the win.”<\/p>\n
Sri Lankan leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay took three wickets for 51 runs, but failed to stop Zimbabwe from surpassing their previous effort of 296 in the opening loss.<\/p>\n
Openers Takudzwanashe Kaitano (26) and Regis Chakabva (47) hammered 59 runs inside 10 overs to lay a solid foundation.<\/p>\n
Vandersay bowled Takudzwanashe, who made his ODI debut in Sunday’s series opener, and then denied Chababva his fifty after getting the wicketkeeper-batsman stumped.<\/p>\n
Ervine stood firm and rebuilt the innings with Williams, who made 100 in Zimbabwe’s opening loss, and the pair soon took the attack to the opposition.<\/p>\n
Vandersay broke the stand after getting the left-handed Williams stumped with a googly, with wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis quick to whip the bails off.<\/p>\n
Ervine completed his fifty in 56 balls but was nine short of a century after getting bowled by mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana.<\/p>\n
Raza, who smashed four fours and one six, kept up the charge in a 41-run partnership with Ryan Burl, who hit 19.<\/p>\n
Zimbabwe fast bowlers Tendai Chatara and Blessing Muzarabani put Sri Lanka in trouble at 31-3 and finished with three wickets each.<\/p>\n
Kamindu Mendis, who made 57, and Shanaka got together to rebuild the innings with a partnership of 118 for the fifth wicket and raise hopes of a successful chase.<\/p>\n
Kamindu recorded his maiden ODI half-century with a boundary and the captain got past his fifty as well three balls later to frustrate the opposition bowlers.<\/p>\n
Richard Ngarava broke the stand with Kamindu’s wicket after the batsman mistimed a shot to mid-on.<\/p>\n
Shanaka kept up the attack to reach his hundred with a six off Chatara but got caught out at long off on the next ball and take back with him Sri Lanka’s hopes of victory.<\/p>\n
“We need to have better plans next game. I don’t think there will be any pressure,” said Shanaka.<\/p>\n
The deciding match is on Friday at the same venue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Kandy, Sri Lanka, Jan 18 (AFP\/APP): Skipper Craig Ervine and an attacking Sikandar Raza set up a 22-run series-levelling win for Zimbabwe in the second one-day international against Sri Lanka on Tuesday. Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka hit a maiden ODI century but his 102 […]<\/p>\n
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