Suranga Lakmal took four for 27 to set up Sri Lanka for a 10-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the first Test in Harare on Thursday. Resuming on 30 without loss and needing 157 to make Sri Lanka bat again, Zimbabwe recovered from the loss of three early wickets to Lakmal to reach lunch at 120 for three.
The tall pace bowler struck again immediately after, removing Brendan Taylor for 38, and Zimbabwe slumped to 170 all out, losing their last seven wickets for 50. Sri Lanka needed just 14 to win and the openers Oshada Fernando and Dimuth Karunaratne knocked off the runs in three overs. Angelo Mathews was named man of the match for his 200 not out in Sri Lanka's first innings of 515 for nine declared. "I wanted to go for a biggy," said Mathews after the game. "It was very slow going and they gave nothing away with their umbrella field. "We didn't want to bat in the fourth innings. There was some variable bounce and turn. We wanted a lead of 160 so I had to make sure we got there."
Zimbabwe, who had four debutants in their team, began the day with high hopes of wiping out that lead and saving the first Test they have played since November 2018.
Lakmal, however, was quick to make inroads, removing the top three, all left-handers, in his first three overs as Zimbabwe crumbled to 41 for three.
In his first over, the second of the day, Lakmal found some extra bounce to induce an edge from Prince Masvaure which carried through to wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella.
"The guys tried their hardest," said Zimbabwe captain Williams. "There are going to be hurdles that we have to cross as a team." The second Test starts in Harare on Monday.
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