21 Nov 2008

Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe in one dayer

7:15 am on 21 November 2008

Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan sparked a Zimbabwe collapse as Sri Lanka won their first one-day cricket international by six wickets in Harare.

Zimbabwe, sent in to bat, had reached a respectable 124 for three after 27 overs before Muralitharan claimed three wickets in a single over.

Fellow spinner Ajantha Mendis then took two in the following over and Zimbabwe collapsed in a heap, losing their last seven wickets for three runs in 3.5 overs.

Muralitharan took four for 14 in four overs and Mendis three for 26 in six.

Sri Lanka needed 33.2 overs to chase down their target of 128, with Mahela Udawatte and Kumar Sangakarra combining in a second-wicket stand of 56.