Dilshan ton earns Sri Lanka the tri-series trophy

HARARE - Tillekaratne Dilshan scored a sparkling unbeaten century as Sri Lanka lifted the triangular series trophy with a nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the final ODI here Wednesday.

Dilshan played a captain’s knock of 108 and with Upul Tharanga (72) added 160 runs for the opening wicket as Sri Lanka made 203 for one in 34.4 overs after Dilhara Fernando’s impressive three-wicket haul helped the visitors to bowl out Zimbabwe for 199 in 49 overs at the Harare Sports Club.

Former captain Tatenda Taibu (71) scored a gutsy half-century for Zimbabwe in the middle overs as Fernando claimed three for 36.

Taibu hardly got any support from the other end and Zimbabwe innings fell like a pack of cards in the death over against the spin duo Jeevan Mendis and Ajantha Mendis, who snared two wickets apiece.

Sri Lanka’s bowlers kept a tight line from the start, and their efforts were rewarded in the fifth over when Hamilton Masakadza (four) nicked a Nuwan Kulasekara outswinger to wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal.

Taibu celebrated his half-century with a stylish reverse sweep off Dilshan in the 30th over as Zimbabwe reached 107 for three but he then fell to Fernando in the 36th over after adding 21 more runs to his account.

Skipper Elton Chigumbura (10) departed after he failed to read a Jeevan’s flipper and hit it straight to Dilshan at covers and Greg Lamb (37) followed his captain back to the pavilion when Jeevan clean bowled him in the 42nd over.