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| Sunday, 2 May 2004 |
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Rebel Ervine and uncapped Elton press for Test berths Sa'adi Thawfeeq reporting from Zimbabwe HIGHFIELD, HARARE, May 1 - Sean Ervine one of 18 rebel players sounded the Zimbabwean national selectors that he was in excellent form to take on Sri Lanka in the first Test starting at Harare on Thursday when he hit a stroke-filled half-century on the opening day of the three-day tour match played at the Takashinga Cricket Club grounds situated in the outskirts of high density black population area 20 kilometres from the capital. It is only the second match played here by an international touring team. The West Indies played a 3-day match here last November. Ervine who has represented Zimbabwe in five Tests, came to the wicket with Zimbabwe 'A' struggling at 61-3 and went onto complete a fine half-century off 61 balls inclusive of 11 fours. Left-hander Ervine was joined by uncapped 18-year-old right-hander Elton Chigumbura, who also completed a splendid fifty and may have pushed the national selectors into considering him for the first Test. Chigumbura who played in the one-day internationals against Sri Lanka reached his half-century off 60 balls with nine fours and a six and was looking good for a century when he played across the line to a delivery from left-armer Sanath Jayasuriya and was lbw for 63, shortly before tea. He hit 10 fours and two sixes in a stay of 103 minutes. Former captain Heath Streak was greeted with applause and cries of 'Streak, Streak' when he came out to bat by the black population who had come to witness the match. At tea Zimbabwe 'A' were 264 for six wickets. With Vusumuzi Sibanda who made 32, Ervine put together a partnership of 90 for the fourth wicket and a further stand of 68 for the fifth with Chigumbura which somewhat gave the local side total some respectability. Ervine overcame a painful blow on his right arm from a short pitched delivery from paceman Dilhara Fernando before he was dismissed for 75. He survived a close run out call at 67 when Ian Daniel fired the ball from point to wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene, before falling lbw to Rangana Herath. The left-arm spinner vying for a Test place with Upul Chandana had figures of two for 48 off 19 overs at tea. He also had the wicket of Mark Vermeulen for 25 when he drew him forward and had him stumped by Jayawardene. Fernando also took two wickets sending back Trevor Gripper for 26 when he top edged a pull to backward square leg and then trapped Sibanda lbw. Farveez Maharoof achieved the initial breakthrough for Sri Lanka when be bowled opener Stuart Matsikenyeri for four in the sixth over after Zimbabwe 'A' had won the toss and decided to bat first. Gripper and Mark Vermeulen added 43 for the second wicket, but the introduction of Herath ended the liaison. Ervine's inclusion in the Test team as well as the other three rebel players who represented Zimbabwe 'A' today, former captain Heath Streak, Trevor Gripper and Raymond Price depended on what decision the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) takes with regard to the players' demands. The rebels have given the ZCU a deadline till Tuesday to agree to arbitration to try and bring the dispute to a conclusion and if the home board does not agree to their demands they have said that they would resume their boycott. But the fact that four of the rebel players were included in the 'A' side against Sri Lanka was a positive sign that some progress was being made to strengthen the Zimbabwe side ahead of Thursday's first Test. But the fact that the rebel cricketers turned up for practice on Friday and the subsequent inclusion of four of them in the practice game is a positive sign from both sides that some progress was being made to end the deadlock. Without the rebels, Zimbabwe fielded an all black inexperienced side and was outplayed 5-0 in the one-day international series by Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka rested captain Marvan Atapattu, batsman Tillakratne Dilshan and key bowlers Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan and Nuwan Zoysa for this game. ZIMBABWE 'A' - 1ST INNINGS
S. Matsikenyeri b Maharoof 4
T. R. Gripper c Maharoof b Fernando 26
M. A. Vermeulen st P. Jayawardene
b Herath 25
V. Sibanda lbw b Fernando 32
S. M. Ervine lbw b Herath 75
E. Chigumbura lbw b Jayasuriya 63
A. Maregwede not out 20
H. H. Streak not out 1
Extras (LB-10, NB-8) 18
TOTAL (6 wkts at tea, 69 overs) 264
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-16, 2-59, 3-61, 4-151,
5-219, 6-262.
TO BAT: R.W. Price, P. Utseya, B. Mawire.
BOWLING: Fernando 13-4-49-2, Maharoof 16-3-59-1,
Herath 19-6-48-2, Chandana 14-2-67-0,
Samaraweera 2-0-17-0, Jayasuriya 5-1-14-1.
SRI LANKA: S.T. Jayasuriya, G.I. Daniel,
K.C. Sangakkara, D.P.M. Jayawardene,
T.T. Samaraweera, S.H.T. Kandamby,
U.D.U. Chandana, M.F. Maharoof,
H.A.P.W. Jayawardene, H.M.R.K.B. Herath.
C.R.D. Fernando.
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