Raza Takes Career-best Seven Wickets as Zimbabwe Grab Control
Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza picked up a career-best seven wickets as the hosts dismissed Sri Lanka for 293 at tea on the third day of the second Test here on Wednesday.
Harare, Jan 29 (AFP) Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza picked up a career-best seven wickets as the hosts dismissed Sri Lanka for 293 at tea on the third day of the second Test here on Wednesday.
Off-spinner Raza, who claimed all three wickets to fall in the morning session, took another three after lunch to finish with figures of seven for 113 -- the second best return for Zimbabwe in Test cricket.
Former legbreak bowler Paul Strang registered 8 for 109 against New Zealand at Bulawayo in September 2000.
Zimbabwe lead by 113 runs but will begin their second innings without opener Kevin Kasuza after he was struck on the helmet fielding at short leg for the second match in a row.
Kasuka was diagnosed with mild concussion and will take no further part in the match. All-rounder Timycen Maruma has been drafted in to take his place and is set to bat at number three.
Kusal Mendis (22) was the first man to go after Sri Lanka resumed on their overnight score of 122 for two, caught off the bowling of Raza after a firm pull shot hit Kasuza and looped to Carl Mumba at square leg.
Kasuza collapsed to the ground and had to be taken off the field on a stretcher. He was then sent to hospital for scans, having been substituted out of the first Test after suffering a delayed concussion following a similar incident.
Raza snaffled a return catch to remove Dinesh Chandimal for six and then bowled a well-set Dhananjaya de Silva on the stroke of lunch for 42.
The Pakistan-born Raza trapped Niroshan Dickwella early in the afternoon session to complete his five-wicket haul before Suranga Lakmal chipped tamely to short mid-on.
Angelo Mathews, who made his first Test double century in the series opener, top-scored for Sri Lanka with a gritty 64 from 158 balls before he was caught behind down the legside off Mumba.
A brilliant diving catch by substitute fielder Brian Mudzinganyama gave Raza his seventh wicket and Victor Nyauchi had Vishwa Fernando last man out for a battling 38.
Sri Lanka lead the two-Test series 1-0 after winning the first match by 10 wickets. AFP
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