COLOMBO, January 22: Leg-spinner Upul Chandana claimed a career-best haul of 4-31 to help Sri Lanka cruise to a comfortable five-wicket win over Zimbabwe in their first one-day international today.Chandana, who had an unsuccessful first spell in which he conceded 16 runs in three overs, took four for 15 in 28 balls after changing ends to bowl Zimbabwe out for 207 and give Sri Lanka the edge.
His previous best bowling figures in a one-day international were four for 35 against the touring Australians in 1996-97.
The Zimbabwe total proved to be a small target for the world champions, who overhauled it in the 46th over for the loss of five wickets.
SCOREBOARD
Zimbabwe: G Flower c&b Dharmasena 40, A Flower c Mahanama b Pushpakumara 1, M Goodwin c de Silva b Pushpakumara 1, G Whittall c Mahanama b Jayasuriya 52, A Campbell c&b Chandana 36, C Wishart b Chandana 41, P Strang c&b Muralitharan 3, G Rennie lbw b Chandana 9, H Streak not out 7, J Rennie b Dharmasena 2, A Whittall lbw b Chandana
5; Extras: (lb6, w3, nb1) 10. Total (all out in 48.4 overs) 207
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-7, 3-67, 4-118, 5-173, 6-180, 7-180, 8-193, 9-198
Bowling: Vaas 7-0-21-0 (2w), Pushpakumara 7-3-30-2 (1nb), Dharmasena 10-0-29-2, Muralitharan 10-0-55-1, Chandana 7.4-0-31-4, Jayasuriya 7-0-35-1 (1w)
Sri Lanka: S Jayasuriya st A Flower b Strang 47, M Atapattu b J Rennie 26, R Mahanama c Streak b G Flower 39, A de Silva c&b Strang 5, A Ranatunga not out 58, R Kaluwitharana c sub (M Nbangwa) b G Flower 15, U Chandana not out 16; Extras: (lb2, w-2) 4. Total (for 5 wkts in 45.2 overs) 210
Fall of wickets: 1-66, 2-81, 3-91, 4-146, 5-183
Bowling: Streak 7-0-35-0, J Rennie 7-0-25-1, Whittall 9-0-40-0, Strang 10-2-36-2, Goodwin 5-0-21-0, G Flower 7.2-0-51-2.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
