Absent middle-order costs Zimbabwe in first test after valiant fight

Zimbabwe’s middle order failed to show up on the final day as the hosts lost late on day five by 10 wickets to Sri Lanka at Harare Sports Club.

After Suranga Lakmal tore through the top order in a brilliant spate of pace bowling, Brendan Taylor and captain Sean Williams looked to put on something of a rescue effort as the hosts went to lunch on 120-3.

Lakmal took the wicket for Taylor on 38 before Rajitha accounted for Sean Williams three balls later for no further score on 39.

Lasith Ebuldiniya again got Sikandar Raza out of his crease as he was stumped for 17.

There was a resistance offered by Regis Chakabva and Donald Tiripano but it was always going to be too much as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 170.

Sri Lanka came back and got the 14 runs needed to win the match for no loss of wicket.

For Zimbabwe, it will have been about that middle order which in two innings failed to do what the tail and the top order did, which was to give it a fistfight. Some of them got a start but failed to take it beyond that. Zimbabwe’s coaching department will no doubt be disappointed with the result after the fighting attitude exhibited in much of the test match.