• Sri Lanka Board XI gain 138 overall lead
  Marillier’s patient knock saves Zimbabwe ‘A’ from disaster

by Reggie Goonewardene our Moratuwa Corr.
D. Marillier with a patient knock of 81 runs helped Zimbabwe ‘A’ team reach a respectable total of 173 on the second day of the three-day game against Sri Lanka Board XI on Monday at De Zoysa Stadium, Moratuwa. This was in reply to the Board XI’s 212. Marillier held on grimly to score his knock while all other batsmen crumbled against the local bowling. During his innings, he sent the ball to the ropes on nine occasions. P. Wickramasinghe was responsible for sending him back to the pavilion, when Sangakkara held on to a fine catch.

At the early stages, Zimbabweans struggled to face the opening attack of D. Fernando and Suresh Perera. Two of them sent back the frontline batsmen when they captured two wickets each. Later Dinuka Hettiarachchi ran through the middle order claiming three wickets. P. Wickramasinghe too ended with two wickets.

For Zimbabwe the best partnership was for the fifth wicket when top scorer Marillier and Craig Wishart put on 69 runs. Soon after the departure of Wishart, the wickets fell again at regular intervals and they folded up for 173.

The Sri Lanka Board XI who gained a 39 run first innings lead added a further 79 runs in their second essay to take an overall lead of 118. Board XI opener Shantha Kalawitigoda and Ian Daniel were unbeaten on 49 and 25 respectively.

 SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka Board XI 1st Innings 212

Zimbabwe ‘A’ 1st Innings 173

A. Margewedo c I. Daniel b D. Fernando 07

N. Ferreira lbw Suresh Perera 00

G. Rennie c & b D. Fernando 01

D. Marillier c Sangakkara b P. Wickremasinghe 81

D. Ebrahim c Sangakkara b D. Hettiarachchi 18

C. Wishart c Kalawitigoda b P. Wickremasinghe 26

G. Lamb lbw Suresh Perera 10

D. Peacock c & b Suresh Perera 02

A. Mackay c J. Mubarak b D. Hettiarachchi 09

D. Muthodra c Fernando b D. Hettiarachchi 00

R. Price not out 00

Extras: 09

Total; 173

Fall of wickets : 1-1, 2-2, 3-23, 4-73, 5-142, 6-156, 7-160, 8-166, 9-170

Bowling: D. Fernando 7-2-18-2, Suresh Perera 11-2-27-3, R. Fernando 8-1-39-0, P. Wickremasinghe 18-0-50-2, D. Hettiarachchi 14.2-4-25-3, J. Mubarak 6-1-8-0.

Sri Lanka Board XI Second Innings

Shantha Kalawitigoda not out 49

Ian Daniel not out 25

Extras: 04

Total; (for no wickets) 78

Bowling: D. Muthodra 6-2-26-0, Angus Mackay 6-1-14-0, Raymond Price 6-2-13-0, D. Peacock 6-1-24-0.