SL in Zim: Sri Lanka beat spirited Zimbabwe by 225 runs

Sri Lanka recorded a thrilling, last minute victory of 225 runs against Zimbabwe to win the first Test and take a 1-0 series lead at Harare on Wednesday (2).

Chasing an impossible target of 412 runs for victory, Zimbabwe were 74-5 at one stage and kept Sri Lankan bowlers at bay, taking the game to the final session of the fifth and final day. 

Eventually they were bowled out for 186, minutes before end of play.

Electing to bat first Sri Lanka posted 537 in the first innings and bowled out Zimbabwe for 373 to gain a 164-run advantage. 

Sri Lanka declared their second innings at 247-6 after extending their lead to 411.

Opener Dimuth Karunaratne scored 56 in the first innings and followed his form with a brilliant knock of 110 in the second innings. 

In the first innings Kusal Perera and Upul Tharanga scored identical knocks of 110 each while Kaushal Silva hit 94.

For Zimbabwe skipper Graeme Cremer hit an unbeaten 102 in the first innings and followed up with a fighting knock of 43 in the second essay. 

He also claimed four wickets in Sri Lanka's first innings and won the man-of-the-match award. 

The second and final Test will be played at Harare from November 6 to 10.  

Sri Lanka 

1st innings 537 all out (155) (Dimuth Karunaratne 56, Kaushal Silva 94, Kusal Perera 110, Kusal Mendis 34, Upul Tharanga 110n.o, Dhananjaya de Silva 25, Asela Gunaratne 54, Dilruwan Perera 23, Graeme Cremer 4/142, Chris Mpofu 2/96)

2nd innings 247 for 6 wickets (61.5) declared (Dimuth Karunaratne 110, Dhananjaya de Silva 64, Carl Mumba 4/50)

Zimbabwe 

1st innings 373 all out (107.5) (Tino Mawoyo 45, Hamilton Masakadza 33, Malcolm Walter 22, Peter Moor 79, Graeme Cremer 102n.o, Donald Tiripano 46, Suranga Lakmal 3/69, Rangana Herath 3/97, Dilruwan Perera 2/66)

2nd innings (target 412) 186 all out (90.3) (Tino Mawoyo 37, Hamilton Masakadza 20, Sean Williams 40, Graeme Cremer 43, Dilruwan Perera 3/34, Rangana Herath 3/38, Suranga Lakmal 2/43, Lahiru Kumara 2/45)