ONE: News Item in Daily News, 7 November 2016,entitled “Undefeated De Silva puts Sri Lanka in charge”
HARARE, Sunday – An unbeaten century from Dhananjaya de Silva put Sri Lanka in control of the second and final Test against Zimbabwe after a fluctuating first day at Harare Sports Club on Sunday. De Silva came to the wicket with Sri Lanka struggling on 112 for four after they had lost the toss and been asked to bat, but showed greater application than Sri Lanka’s top order as he hit his second Test century in just his fifth match.
The right-hander added a crucial 143 for the fifth wicket with Upul Tharanga before finishing unbeaten on 100, as the tourists closed the day on 290 for five.“I knew I needed to bat through the innings,” De Silva said afterwards. “Playing under pressure is my role, so it made me comfortable.
” 
Dhananjaya de Silva– Pic by Getty
Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bowl first on a pitch boasting a tinge of green, but had a chaotic first hour with the ball. Fast bowler Carl Mumba limped off the field after the first over, and seamers Chris Mpofu and Donald Tiripano were wayward in their opening spells as Sri Lanka progressed to 62 without loss. The breakthrough came from an unlikely source, as part-timer Hamilton Masakadza made an early entry to the attack and Dimuth Karunaratne guided an innocuous delivery straight to gully to depart for 26.
Masakadza then struck in his next over when Kusal Perera’s decision to attack the seamer from the start of his innings backfired horribly, as he holed out to long-on. Mumba was able to return to the field soon after, but it was fellow fast bowler Mpofu who struck before lunch when he trapped Kaushal Silva lbw for 37. Although Silva asked for a review, he took too long to do so and so his request was denied. Hawk-Eye showed that the delivery from Mpofu would have missed leg stump.
Sri Lanka went to lunch on 105 for three, and were in trouble soon after the interval when Kusal Mendis edged Donald Tiripano behind to depart for 26. At 112 for four, Sri Lanka were under pressure for the first time in the series but Tharanga and De Silva were unperturbed. The pair were content to take a patient approach as the pitch flattened out and Zimbabwe tightened up their bowling, seeing Sri Lanka through to tea on 187 for four.
“We started off badly in the first session, but I think we pulled it back quite nicely as the day wore on,” said Masakadza. “We would have been happier with one or two more wickets, but I think after the start that we had, we’ll take it.”
Tharanga fell for 79 in the final session, as he became the first player to be given out on review in Zimbabwe, with the third umpire determining that he had edged a delivery from legspinner Graeme Cremer. But De Silva reached three figures shortly before the close of play, and was accompanied to stumps by Asela Gunaratne, who was unbeaten on 13.
TWO: Report in The Island
Sri Lanka’s batsman Dhananjaya de silva (L) raises his bat to celebrate his century as Zimbabwe’s Christopher Mpofu looks on during the first day of the second cricket Test match between Sri Lanka and hosts Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports club, on November 6, 2016. Dhananjaya de Silva scored his second Test century to put Sri Lanka in control of the second and final Test against Zimbabwe after the first day at Harare Sports Club on Sunday. De Silva came to the wicket with Sri Lanka struggling on 112 for four, but showed greater application than Sri Lanka’s top order as he put on 143 for the fifth wicket with Upul Tharanga before finishing unbeaten on 100.
The tourists closed the day on 290 for five, and were equally grateful for Tharanga’s 79. Things could have been much better for Zimbabwe had they fielded and caught better. In the penultimate over of the day, Brian Chari’s underarm flick at the bowler’s end missed the stumps and reprieved Asela Gunaratne, who was on 10. Before that came a costlier miss, Peter Moor fluffing a chance down the leg side off Graeme Cremer to let Dhananjaya off on 64. That was the only uncertain moment in Dhananjaya’s innings, which showcased his ability to tailor his tactics to Sri Lanka’s situation.
Happy to hit through the line against the seamers, he eliminated drives against Cremer’s leg-spin as the day wore on. That wasn’t to say he was completely guarded, for the bad balls were punished, at times with a touch of disdain. If Tharanga was an accumulator, Dhananjaya was the artist during the course of Sri Lanka’s highest fifth-wicket stand against Zimbabwe – they surpassed the previous best of 114 between Asanka Gurusinha and Hashan Tillakaratne at Sinhalese Sports Club in 1996. The pair batted through 50.3 overs on a surface that offered plenty of lateral movement.
As the day progressed, there was even a hint of turn and inconsistent bounce, which further underlined the importance of the partnership.
Zimbabwe, who were on the wrong side of several decisions in the first Test, were beneficiaries of the Decision Review System that was introduced for the first time in the country. Tharanga, initially given not out by umpire Simon Fry, had to walk back when replays suggested he had nicked the ball while driving away from his body at Cremer, before the ball bounced to slip off the wicketkeeper’s pads. Zimbabwe’s relief was palpable, and continued to attack with the seamers, taking the second new ball as soon as it became available, but Dhananjaya and Gunaratne saw out the rest of the day’s play.
ALSO SEE Mcihael Roberts: “Dhananjaya as Sri Lanka’s Cricketing Star Today,” 18 August 2016. https://cricketique.live/2016/08/18/dhananjaya-as-sri-lankas-cricketing-star-today/
THREE: Shashank Kishore for ESPNcricinfo, bearing title “Dhananjaya de Silva ton leaves Sri Lanka ahead on absorbing day”
As the day progressed, there was even a hint of turn and inconsistent bounce, which further underlined the importance of the partnership. Dhananjaya, who walked in to bat with Sri Lanka 112 for 4, hit 11 fours and was batting on 100 at stumps.
Zimbabwe, who were on the wrong side of several decisions in the first Test, were beneficiaries of the Decision Review System that was introduced for the first time in the country. Tharanga, initially given not out by umpire Simon Fry, had to walk back when replays suggested he had nicked the ball while driving away from his body at Cremer, before the ball bounced to slip off the wicketkeeper’s pads.
Zimbabwe’s relief was palpable, and continued to attack with the seamers, taking the second new ball as soon as it became available, but Dhananjaya and Gunaratne saw out the rest of the day’s play.
Choosing to bowl first, Zimbabwe were dealt an early blow when Carl Mumba, one of their three frontline seamers, left the field with knee trouble after bowling his first over. His absence, coupled with the waywardness of Christopher Mpofu, helped Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva to rattle off 60 in the first hour.
Hamilton Masakadza led Zimbabwe’s revival with his part-time seam after being summoned up to give Mpofu and Donald Tiripano a breather. It took him just 10 balls to break the 62-run opening stand, Dimuth Karunarate gliding an away-going delivery into the hands of Sean Williams at gully. In Masakadza’s next over, Kusal Perera swiped a full-length delivery to Mumba at long-on.
The pressure Zimbabwe maintained thereon played a part in their next breakthrough, Mpofu trapping Kaushal Silva lbw with an in-dipper in the penultimate over before lunch. It was a dramatic dismissal. Given out by umpire Fry, Kaushal was denied a review by his own indecision – he took more than the prescribed 15 seconds before asking for it. Replays suggested Zimbabwe were lucky, with ball-tracking showing the angle taking the ball past leg stump.
Two overs after lunch, Sri Lanka lost Kusal Mendis and were a precarious 112 for 4. Tharanga, who walked in at No 5, laced the first two balls he faced to the cover boundary and glanced his fourth ball for another four. Having gotten off to that turbocharged start, he progressed steadily. Early in his innings, Dhananjaya marked his arrival, splitting midwicket and mid-on with a whiplash flick off Mpofu. That was just one of several moments of class in his effort to lead Sri Lanka’s revival.
Shashank Kishore is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
Stumps – Day 1
| Sri Lanka 1st innings | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
FDM Karunaratne | c Williams b Masakadza | 26 | 43 | 4 | 0 | 60.46 | |
| 14.4 109.5 kph, Hamilton provides the breakthrough. Williams completes a good catch to his right at gully. Back of a length and angling away outside off, Dimuth has this tendency to slash away from the body. The ball kicks up a bit and Williams snaps up the catch 62/1 | ||||||||
|
JK Silva | lbw b Mpofu | 37 | 73 | 6 | 0 | 50.68 | |
| 24.1 that looks pretty close, Silva has been given out lbw by umpire Fry. Or was it heading down? The opener has a word with Mendis and goes for a review. |
||||||||
|
MDKJ Perera† | c Mumba b Masakadza | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 80.00 | |
| 16.3 115.9 kph, and Kusal has fallen into the trap. Holes out to long-on. Hamilton has his hands aloft in delight, he has struck twice in six balls. Mumba moves across to his left and pouches the catch. Good length and on off, Kusal swipes across the line and ends up skying a catch to long-on. Kusal inspects the toe end as he trudges back. Nice, chest-high take from Mumba 66/2 | ||||||||
|
BKG Mendis | c †Moor b Tiripano | 26 | 39 | 5 | 0 | 66.66 | |
| 27.6 124.7 kph, Umpire Gould’s finger goes up. First wicket in the series for Tiripano. Waist-high catch for Moor, he has been tidy behind the stumps today. Good length, angled in from wide of the crease, from over the wicket. Straightens, takes the outside edge as Mendis presses forward and pushes away from the body. Feathers an edge behind to the wicketkeeper. More joy for Zimbabwe 112/4 | ||||||||
|
WU Tharanga | c Masakadza b Cremer | 79 | 155 | 8 | 0 | 50.96 | |
| 78.3 82.0 kph, Did the batsman nick that? Umpire Fry shakes his head. DRS makes a debut in Zimbabwe, finally. The hosts challenge Fry’s not-out decision. Ricocheted off Moor’s pads and ballooned to the left of slip, who snapped it up with both hands. Looped up and outside off, Tharanga is drawn into a drive, plays away from his body. There was a deflection, Fry overturns his decision, and Gremer provides the breakthrough. DRS works for Zimbabwe, Tharanga walks off for 79, the 143-run stand ends 255/5 | ||||||||
| DM de Silva | not out | 100 | 197 | 11 | 0 | 50.76 | ||
| DAS Gunaratne | not out | 13 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 44.82 | ||
| Extras | (lb 2, w 2, nb 1) | 5 | ||||||
| Total | (5 wickets; 90 overs) | 290 | (3.22 runs per over) | |||||
To batMDK Perera, HMRKB Herath*, RAS Lakmal, CBRLS Kumara
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | 0s | 4s | 6s | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT Mumba | 14 | 2 | 54 | 0 | 3.85 | 59 | 8 | 0 | ||
|
DT Tiripano | 22 | 4 | 63 | 1 | 2.86 | 104 | 8 | 0 | (1nb, 2w) |
| 27.6 to Mendis, 124.7 kph, Umpire Gould’s finger goes up. First wicket in the series for Tiripano. Waist-high catch for Moor, he has been tidy behind the stumps today. Good length, angled in from wide of the crease, from over the wicket. Straightens, takes the outside edge as Mendis presses forward and pushes away from the body. Feathers an edge behind to the wicketkeeper. More joy for Zimbabwe 112/4 | ||||||||||
|
CB Mpofu | 18 | 4 | 65 | 1 | 3.61 | 82 | 12 | 0 | |
| 24.1 to Silva, that looks pretty close, Silva has been given out lbw by umpire Fry. Or was it heading down? The opener has a word with Mendis and goes for a review. |
||||||||||
|
H Masakadza | 8 | 2 | 18 | 2 | 2.25 | 38 | 2 | 0 | |
| 14.4 to Karunaratne, 109.5 kph, Hamilton provides the breakthrough. Williams completes a good catch to his right at gully. Back of a length and angling away outside off, Dimuth has this tendency to slash away from the body. The ball kicks up a bit and Williams snaps up the catch 62/1 16.3 to MDKJ Perera, 115.9 kph, and Kusal has fallen into the trap. Holes out to long-on. Hamilton has his hands aloft in delight, he has struck twice in six balls. Mumba moves across to his left and pouches the catch. Good length and on off, Kusal swipes across the line and ends up skying a catch to long-on. Kusal inspects the toe end as he trudges back. Nice, chest-high take from Mumba 66/2 |
||||||||||
|
AG Cremer | 18 | 0 | 57 | 1 | 3.16 | 67 | 4 | 0 | |
| 78.3 to Tharanga, 82.0 kph, Did the batsman nick that? Umpire Fry shakes his head. DRS makes a debut in Zimbabwe, finally. The hosts challenge Fry’s not-out decision. Ricocheted off Moor’s pads and ballooned to the left of slip, who snapped it up with both hands. Looped up and outside off, Tharanga is drawn into a drive, plays away from his body. There was a deflection, Fry overturns his decision, and Gremer provides the breakthrough. DRS works for Zimbabwe, Tharanga walks off for 79, the 143-run stand ends 255/5 | ||||||||||
| SC Williams | 5 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1.60 | 23 | 0 | 0 | ||
| MN Waller | 5 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 4.60 | 17 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Zimbabwe team | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Match details
TV umpire – M Erasmus (South Africa)
Match referee – BC Broad (England)
Reserve umpire – RB Tiffin
Close of play
- – day 1 – Sri Lanka 1st innings 290/5 (DM de Silva 100*, DAS Gunaratne 13*, 90 ov)
Match Notes
-
- Sri Lanka: 50 runs in 11.3 overs (69 balls), Extras 2
- 1st Wicket: 50 runs in 69 balls (FDM Karunaratne 24, JK Silva 24, Ex 2)
- Drinks: Sri Lanka – 60/0 in 14.0 overs (FDM Karunaratne 24, JK Silva 33)
- Sri Lanka: 100 runs in 25.1 overs (151 balls), Extras 3
- Lunch: Sri Lanka – 105/3 in 26.0 overs (BKG Mendis 20, WU Tharanga 15)
- Drinks: Sri Lanka – 142/4 in 40.0 overs (WU Tharanga 30, DM de Silva 15)
- Sri Lanka: 150 runs in 44.2 overs (266 balls), Extras 4
- 5th Wicket: 50 runs in 111 balls (WU Tharanga 22, DM de Silva 27, Ex 1)
- WU Tharanga: 50 off 89 balls (5 x 4)
- Tea: Sri Lanka – 187/4 in 57.0 overs (WU Tharanga 50, DM de Silva 40)
- Sri Lanka: 200 runs in 61.5 overs (372 balls), Extras 5
- DM de Silva: 50 off 108 balls (5 x 4)
- 5th Wicket: 100 runs in 235 balls (WU Tharanga 45, DM de Silva 53, Ex 2)
- Sri Lanka: 250 runs in 76.2 overs (459 balls), Extras 5
- Drinks: Sri Lanka – 250/4 in 77.0 overs (WU Tharanga 76, DM de Silva 76)
- Over 78.3: Review by Zimbabwe (Bowling), Umpire – SD Fry, Batsman – WU Tharanga (Upheld)
- Reviews used before 80th over : Sri Lanka 2 (0 successful, 0 unsuccessful); Zimbabwe 2 (1 successful, 0 unsuccessful)
- DM de Silva: 100 off 197 balls (11 x 4)
- End Of Day: Sri Lanka – 290/5 in 90.0 overs (DM de Silva 100, DAS Gunaratne 13)
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