da doce： The three-day match between the President’s XI and Sri Lanka atBulawayo Athletic Club was again badly disrupted by rain for thesecond time in as many days, which all but rules out a result goinginto the final day this morning
The Herald09-Nov-1999The three-day match between the President’s XI and Sri Lanka atBulawayo Athletic Club was again badly disrupted by rain for thesecond time in as many days, which all but rules out a result goinginto the final day this morning.In all, 64 overs, which translates to four hours and 16 minutes ofplay, have been lost to the rain and bad light over the last two days.Still, there was enough quality cricket to lift the moods of thosewho turned up at BAC yesterday.Resuming on their 215-4 yesterday, the Presidents’s XI went on toclose their innings on 325 — a fairly good knock when consideringthat they were staring at humiliation on 39-3 on the first morning ofthe match.In reply, Sri Lanka were 194-3.But the highlight of yesterday’s action was the achievement of22-year-old Indika Gallage, who finished with 6-60 off 17 overs inhis debut match for his country.The Pandura-based right-arm paceman bowled a good line and lengththroughout and it was his consistency that enabled him to reap therewards, something which home skipper Angus Mackay conceded at theclose.”It was a pretty flat wicket that Gallage bowled on but he kept atight line and good length and that perhaps is what made thedifference,” said Mackay in reflection.Gary Brent, who put on 154 with Gavin Rennie for the fifth wicketthat rescued the President’s XI innings, departed without adding tohis overnight 55, while Rennie finally went out leg before afterscoring 127.Brent was also trapped leg before by Gallage.Another Rennie, John, was unbeaten on 48 and was a shade unlucky notto get his half-century when he ran out of partners, while Mackayweighed in with 33 at the end.Sri Lankan opener Marvin Atapattu also finished two short of hishalf-century, but Russell went one better and was unbeaten on 53 whenrain cut short the action.There were also useful contributions from Dilshan Tillikaratne (35)and Mahela Jayawardena (38).With rain affecting the first two days and hopes of much more for thefarmers and almost everyone else in the region, this match lookscertain to end in a draw today, although the visitors will be keen tohave more time batting to prepare for the three-Test series and fiveone-day internationals still to come.