Close Sri Lanka (250; M Jayawardene 65, R Arnold 55) beat Zimbabwe (171 for 8; D Marillier 52*) by 79 runs
Scorecard

Zimbabwe sunk to another low as they crashed to their 15th consecutive defeat in one-day internationals – a world record. After they had put up a spirited performance on the field and restricted Sri Lanka to 250, their batsmen struggled to keep pace with the target. The only partnership of any note was between Trevor Gripper and Stuart Carlisle for the second wicket. Once their 59-run stand ended, wickets fell in a heap, as Zimbabwe were reduced from 66 for 1 to 125 for 7. Doug Marillier scored eight off the last two balls to reach his fifty, but the team needed that urgency far earlier in the innings.

Sri Lanka continued to impress with their battery of fast bowlers. If rookies Buddika Fernando and Prabath Nissanka were the heroes in the first two matches, then veteran Dulip Liyanage impressed today with his accuracy. The spinners were miserly as ever. Muttiah Muralitharan conceded 22 runs off 10 overs – his most expensive bowling performance in this series – while Kumara Dharmasena snared three wickets in the middle of the innings, including the prized one of Andy Flower.

And Sri Lanka's middle-order stood the test of losing early wickets, as man-of-the-match Mahela Jayawardene and Russel Arnold put together a 111-run partnership to pull their team out of difficulty. It was a clinical performance from Sri Lanka, and gave them their third bonus point in three matches.

The match began well for Sri Lanka. Sanath Jayasuriya called correctly again, and got off to a rousing start as he plundered 14 runs off Heath Streak's first over. Jayasuriya looked in ominous form and raced to 25, as 40 runs came inside five overs.

But Zimbabwe struck three times in the next six overs to get themselves right back into the contest. Streak got his revenge with the last delivery of the fifth over - another half-volley on leg stump - which Jayasuriya lofted straight to Travis Friend at deep square leg.

Marvan Atapattu drove the second ball of Gary Brent's first over to Grant Flower at short cover. Flower took a sharp catch and Sri Lanka were reduced to 59 for 2.

That became 62 for 3 when Streak claimed Avishka Gunawardene in his next over, as the batsman tried to flick a full-length delivery and was struck on his pad. Umpire Rudi Koertzen adjudged him leg-before, though replays suggested the ball pitched fractionally outside leg stump.

Jayawardene and Arnold resurrected Sri Lanka's innings. Only 40 runs came between the fifth and fifteenth overs, as the batsmen sensibly eschewed risks. Both Jayawardene and Arnold were content to milk the bowlers, but made the bad balls count, and anything fractionally off target was punished.

The two added 111 runs for the fourth wicket in just over 21 overs, but Streak came back for his second spell and needed just three balls to break the partnership. Arnold top-edged an attempted pull and Brent took an easy catch at fine-leg. Arnold had made 56 off 77 balls.

Jayawardene moved to his fifty and then upped the tempo with a brilliant lofted drive over cover off Brian Murphy. He looked good for many more, but threw his wicket away when he holed out to Gripper at long-on. It was just reward though for some accurate offspin bowling by Marillier, who ended with 2 for 43 from 10 overs.

The last few overs saw a flurry of wickets, even as runs dried up. Liyanage top-edged a pull off Streak to the wicketkeeper, Muralitharan lofted Brent straight to Grant Flower at long-on, and Chaminda Vaas was run out by a brilliant direct hit by Grant Flower with two balls to go.

Zimbabwe did well at the death - the last 15 overs produced 64 runs, and the last 10 yielded just 47 for the loss of five wickets.

Zimbabwe started their run-chase badly. Grant Flower survived a confident lbw shout off the first ball from Vaas, but didn't capitalize on his reprieve. In Vaas' next over he completely missed a straight, full delivery and was clean bowled.

Carlisle and Gripper then got together and constructed the only substantial partnership of the innings. The scoring rate was far from spectacular – it took them 16 overs to put on 61 runs – but at least it ensured Andy Flower would have some time in the dressing room between innings.

Gripper started the slide, when he was late on an attempted pull. The ball lobbed off the splice of the bat and flew gently to Arnold.

Andy Flower joined Carlisle in what should have been the most important partnership of the innings. The pair had added 79 in their last match against Pakistan – but this time they lasted exactly two balls. The mode of dismissal, for the second time in a row, was a run out. Flower played a neat off-drive but Atapattu dived smartly to stop the ball, recovered quickly and flicked the ball to bowler Dulip Liyanage. Carlisle was too far down the pitch and had no chance of making his way back.

Then Andy Flower himself gave his wicket away, as he tried to pull Dharmasena. For the umpteenth time, the ball found the top-edge of the bat and lobbed to Muralitharan at short square-leg.

The rest of the inexperienced line-up didn't have a chance against Sri Lanka's spinners. Marillier posted his fifty off the last ball of the innings to justify his demotion in the batting order. But it was far too little, far too late.

S Rajesh is a sub editor with Wisden.com, India

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