Dilshan, Tharanga power Sri Lanka into quarters
Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan celebrates after reaching his century during their ICC Cricket World Cup Group A match against Zimbabwe in Pallekele on Thursday. (Reuters)
Published: Mar 10, 2011 20:37 Updated: Mar 10, 2011 20:37
PALLEKELE: Sri Lanka opener Tillakaratne Dilshan scored 144 and then took 4-4 to almost single-handedley power Sri Lanka into the quarterfinal of the World Cup with a comfortable 139-run victory over Zimbabwe.
Dilshan was joined by fellow opener Upul Tharanga in a 282-run partnership for the first wicket, driving Sri Lanka to a total of 327-6 in the Group A match.
Zimbabwe was bowled out for 188 despite a valiant 80 by opening batsman Brendan Taylor.
Sri Lanka has seven points from five group matches and will finish among the top four. Zimbabwe has two points after three losses and a win.
Dilshan hammered 16 fours and a six in his ninth ODI century while left-handed Tharanga hit 17 fours in the co-host's strong total.
None of the seven Zimbabwe bowlers used could back captain Elton Chigumbura's decision to field first as Dilshan and Tharanga toyed with Zimbabwe's modest bowling attack.
Dilshan started the innings in his usual aggressive style by driving, pulling and cutting Tinashe Panyangara for three fours and a six in only the second over.
Tharanga also kept up the scoring rate with attractive drives on both sides of the wicket.
Chigumbura switched to his experienced leftarm spinner Ray Price in only the fifth of the innings, but he could find little turn from a flat track.
Dilshan raised his first World Cup century off 95 balls in the 31st over by pushing the ball into the covers and taking a single.
Tharanga pulled Panyangara to backward square leg boundary, stretching the partnership to 196. Pakistan's Saeed Anwar and Wajahatullah Wasti held the previous World Cup record of 194 for the first wicket stand made against New Zealand in Manchester in the 1999 World Cup semifinals.
Tharanga posted his first World Cup century when both batsmen took the batting powerplay in the 41st over. He drove Price to the cover boundary to complete his century off 122 balls before hitting Greg Lamb for another three boundaries in the next over.
Both batsmen departed in successive overs while trying to play big shots. Tharanga attempted to loft fast bowler Chris Mpofu but gave a simple catch to Panyangara in the covers while Dilshan holed out in the deep off spinner Prosper Utseya. Mpofu grabbed three wickets in one over to finish with 4-62, but Dilshan and Tharanga had already done the damage.
Brendan Taylor and Regis Chakabva made a brave start to Zimbabwe's huge run-chase by sharing 116 runs off 119 balls.
Muttiah Muralitharan (3-34) broke the stand in his third over when Chakabva misread a perfect 'doosra' from the offspinner.
Taylor gave a tame catch to Mahela Jayawardene at midwicket off medium fast bowler Angelo Mathews' after hitting nine fours and a six, which triggered Zimbabwe collapse.
Dilshan could have capped his century with a rare hat trick when he removed Craig Ervine and Greg Lamb off successive deliveries but Jayawardene could not hold onto a low catch from Graeme Cremer at slip.
Dilshan also became only the second player in World Cup history after Netherlands allrounder Feiko Kloppenburg to hit a century and take four wickets. Kloppenburg scored 121 and grabbed 4-42 against Namibia at Bloemfontein, South Africa in 2003.
Zimbabwe next plays Pakistan at the same venue on March 14 while Sri Lanka meets New Zealand in its last group match at Mumbai on March 18.