Nuwan Kulasekara [Images] picked up three wickets in 12 balls as Sri Lanka [Images] beat Zimbabwe by 19 runs in their fifth and final one-day international on Sunday.
Zimbabwe were chasing just 153 for victory and Keith Dabengwa (39) and captain Prosper Utseya (31) lifted them from 58 for six with a 72-run stand that left the hosts needing 23 for victory in 10 overs with four wickets in hand.
Dabengwa then stepped away and tried to carve Kulasekara through the off-side, only to be bowled.
The dismissal changed the momentum of the game as Zimbabwe gave up their last four wickets for just three runs and lost the series 5-0.
Kulasekara finished with three for 14 in nine overs, and spinner Muttiah Muralitharan [Images] completing his 10th five-wicket haul in 318 ODIs, having sparked the initial collapse.
Boundaries were a perk for both teams on a pitch that was low and slow and on which no Sri Lankan batsman, save for Angelo Mathews who scored a run-a-ball 31, looked comfortable.
© Copyright 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
|