SL vs ZIM 3rd ODI Commentary - Kandy (21 January 2022)

On leg, Burl defends it to the leg side. 

OUT! LBW! This should be the final nail in the coffin, as Burl has been sent back after a really good defensive play in the middle. Tossed up, full and on off. Burl looks to defend it out but misses and gets pinged on the pads. This is plumb, Jeffrey Vandersay appeals and the umpire raises his finger in a flash. Burl knows he has to walk back but still opts for the review and hopes for a miracle to save him. The Ball Tracker shows three reds and he is a goner.

Googly, fuller and on middle. Richard Ngarava blocks it out. Survived. 

OUT! TAKEN! There it is! Sri Lanka win the series! This is full and on middle. Richard Ngarava looks to heave it but hits it off the inner half of the bat towards short mid-wicket where Maheesh Theekshana takes a sharp catch. Sri Lanka win by 184 runs.

Angled in on off. Burl presses forward and defends it to the onside.

An arm ball, yet again, angled in on middle and off. Burl defends it out solidly.

Slower through the air, full and outside off. Burl defends it to the off side.

Around off, Burl blocks it to the leg side with an angled bat.

Floated, full and outside off. Burl drives it through covers for a single. Tendai Chatara needs to survive a single ball now.

And he does survive! Quicker, full and outside off. Tendai Chatara looks to chase it initially but pulls his blade back it time. 

Floated, full and on leg. Burl nudges it through mid-wicket for a single.

Full and on off. Tendai Chatara pushes it to mid off for a run.

NOT OUT! Loopy ball, full and on off. Burl looks to play the reverse-sweep but misses and gets hit on the pads. The Sri Lankan players appeal but the umpire says no. Dasun Shanaka takes it upstairs. The UltraEdge shows no bat is involved. The Ball Tracker shows the ball is missing the wickets and the on-field decision stands.

A single as this eased down to long on.

On off, pushed out to safety.

Tossed up, around off. Tendai Chatara flicks it to mid-wicket.

Looped up, on off. Burl blocks it out.

Floated, full and outside off. Burl defends it to cover.

FOUR! Cut away nicely. Touch short and on off. Burl hangs back and cuts it through backward point for a boundary. 

Around off, blocked out.

Flicked to mid-wicket for a single.

Floated, full and on middle. Chatara defends it out watchfully.

Full and on off. Chatara blocks it out back to the bowler.

Tossed up, full and on off. Tendai Chatara hits it back to the bowler.

BEATEN! Quicker, full and outside off. Tendai Chatara leans in and looks to defend it out but misses. The ball zips past the outside edge.

On off, blocked out.

Full and outside off. Chatara leans in and defends it out watchfully.

Second maiden of the innings for Jeffrey Vandersay. Floated, full and on off. Tendai Chatara prods and defends it out. 

Fuller and on middle. Chatara gets an inside edge as he looks to play it straight, on the leg side and a single is taken. 

On middle, Blocked back to the bowler.

Darted on the pads, flicked to square leg for a single. Good thinking from Sri Lanka, they are letting bur to take easy singles and targeting the tail-enders. 

FOUR! This is a proper batter shot! Flatter and on off. Chatara stands tall and goes inside out over covers for a boundary. 

WIDE! Too full and way outside off. Left alone. 

DROPPED! Tendai Chatara again goes for the same shot but the fielder drops at long off. Full and on off. Tendai Chatara lifts it straight towards long off where Maheesh Theekshana drops a sitter. A single taken. 

Around off. Blocked out.

NOT OUT! This is full and outside off, it just skids through. Blessing Muzarabani tries to work it on the leg side but gets an outside edge to first slip. The ball is dying and the fielder there reaches forward to complete the catch. The umpire though asks the batter to wait. The replay rolls in and it shows the ball touched the ground.

Fuller and outside off. Blessing Muzarabani looks to slog-sweep but misses it completely. 

OUT! lBW! This time Blessing Muzarabani is a goner! A flatter ball, it lands on middle and turns a bit! Blessing Muzarabani stands back and looks to flick but misses and gets hit on the pads. A huge appeal and up goes the finger. It was a tight call and Blessing Muzarabani takes the review straightaway. No bat there. Ball tracker shows it goes onto clipping the leg stump and Zimbabwe lose the review. 

tossed up, on middle. Chatara prods and inside edges it to square leg for a single. 

Around off, pushed to covers.

Tossed up, on off. Burl defends and Tendai Chatara will face the next over. 

FIVE WIDES! Bonus runs! Flatter, quicker and down the leg side. Wellington Masakadza misses his sweep and the keeper fails to collect as well. It races away to the fence, 

OUT! BOWLED! Ramesh Mendis gets his second! Bowls from around the wicket and serves it full and angling on middle. Wellington Masakadza looks to heave it away but the ball sneaks under his bat and disturbs the stumps behind. Sri Lanka 3 wickets away from clinching the series.

Shorter, slower and on off, tucked away to square leg for a single. 

A full toss, on the pads, pushed to mid-wicket.

Loopy one, on middle. Blocked out.

Tossed up, on middle. Burl gets low and tucks it off the inner half to the leg side. One. 

WIDE! Down the leg side. Blessing Muzarabani misses his whip. Wided.

on middle, Blessing Muzarabani flicks it to deep square leg and will keep the strike with a single.

Fuller and on off, Defended out.

Flatter and on middle, this is hit to square leg. 

Darted on the pads, flicked to deep square leg for a single.

A googly, on the pads. Wellington Masakadza reads and keeps it out.

Fuller and angling outside off. Wellington Masakadza pushes it on the off side for a single.

Ryan Burl closes his bat face too early but still manages to keep it low on the deck. Another tidy over for Sri Lanka. Zimbabwe need some inspiration. 

 Full and drifting on the pads. Shumba looks to defend but gets hit on the pads.

 Tossed up, on middle. Blocked out on the front foot. 

FOUR! Good shot from Shumba! This will release some pressure! A flatter ball, on off. Shumba skips down and plays a check drive, over mid on and clears the fielder with ease. 

On middle. Blocked out.

OUT! TAKEN! Another one bites the dust! Nothing is going their way and the result looks clear unless there is some magic. Shumba was connecting really well and does so this time. This is full and on middle. Shumba gets on his knee and slog-sweeps it, he connects it well but doesn't get the required elevation. Holes out to the fielder at deep square leg where Jeffrey Vandersay takes it low and nice. 

 Tossed up, on middle. Masakadza blocks it towards mid on.

On off, played back to the bowler.

Tossed up, full and on off. Burl works it to the off side.

On leg, tucked to square leg.

Full and outside off. Burl defends it onto the deck off the front foot.

Floated, full and on middle. Burl tucks it to mid-wicket.

A maiden for Jeffrey Vandersay. He has been brilliant in his three overs so far. Around off, blocked out solidly off the front foot.

Chamika Karunaratne serves it full and on off. Shumba hangs back and defends it back to the bowler.

Sixth dot in a row! Pressure building here. Full length, outside off. Shumba drives it to cover but straight at the fielder.

Fuller, on leg. Shumba flicks it to mid-wicket. The batters take a single as Charith Asalanka tumbles in the field.

Good length, on off. Burl blocks it back to the bowler.

Back of a length, on off. Burl sways away from the line of the delivery.

Good running! A full-length ball, on off. Burl taps it towards cover and gets across for a quick single. The fielder charges in and scores a direct hit at the striker's end. The umpire takes it upstairs for a casual check and the replays confirm Shumba was well inside the crease.

A googly, outside off. Burl leans forward and looks to defend it out but gets beaten on the outside edge. A great start by Jeffrey Vandersay to his second over.

Full and on middle. Burl flicks it to mid-wicket for a brace.

Tossed up, full and on off. Burl defends it out watchfully.

CLOSE! Tossed up, full and outside off. Burl looks to chase it but misses it completely.

Fuller, on middle. Burl blocks it out watchfully.

Floated, full and on off. Burl defends it to the leg side. Another brilliant over by Jeffrey Vandersay, just two runs off it.

OUT! CAUGHT! Sikandar Raza gets out cheaply this time. Chamika Karunaratne strikes on his very first delivery here. A short ball, outside off. Raza looks to cut it away but it very early into his stroke. The ball lobs towards covers and Pathum Nissanka completes the catch with ease. Zimbabwe slip further. 

Length ball, on off. Burl defends it to the leg side.

Around off, pushed out to cover.

Full length, outside off. Burl drives it to cover. Not in the gap though.

WIDE! Length ball, down leg. Burl looks to flick it away but misses. Wide called by the umpire.

Fuller, on middle and leg. Burl flicks it to mid-wicket for a run this time. He gets off the mark.

Good length, outside off. Shumba chops it out towards point.

Full and outside off. Shumba leans in and defends it to point for a single.

 OUT! STUMPED! Brilliant effort the Kusal Mendis behind the stumps. Jeffrey Vandersay strikes on his second delivery. This is brilliant, the hosts are dominating with the ball. Floated, full and around off. Kaitano is drawn forward as he looks to defend it out but gets beaten on the outside edge. Kusal Mendis gathers the ball and takes the bails off. He looks very excited, he thinks he has got his man here. The TV umpire is consulted. After several replays the third umpire confirms Takudzwanashe Kaitano had his back leg in the air while the bails were knocked off and the final decision is OUT. 

Full and outside off. Raza looks to sweep it away but misses.

Googly, on middle and leg. Raza gets it out off his pads.

 Full and on off, drifts in a bit. Raza blocks it out solidly. 

Full and on middle. Raza sweeps it to deep square leg for a single.

 Tossed up, on off, Kaitano works it to long on for a single.

 On middle, blocked back to the bowler.

 Fuller ball, drifting around off, pushed back to the bowler.

 Short outside off. Shumba slaps it hard and the fielder at cover leaps high to collect it. 

This is full and around off, pushed to long off for a single. 

A loopy ball, on off, Kaitano works it to point. 

 Length and on off. Shumba blocks it on the off side.

 Solid shot but for no run! This is full and on off, driven nicely but straight to cover.

Short one now, on middle. Shumba sits under it.

 Full and on middle, flicked to mid-wicket for a quick single. 

FOUR! Good shot! Kaitano is playing some beautiful shots! A length ball, on middle. Kaitano reads the length quickly and adjusts to it, whacks it over mid-wicket for a boundary.

Now uses the pace of the ball and guides it to third man for a single.

 Flatter and on off. Kaitano slaps it to long on for a single. 

OUT! TIMBER! What a delivery! It went through the gate! Theekshana bowls it from wide of the crease, an arm ball, full and coming with the angle around off. Williams gets on the front foot and looks to defend it away from the body but the ball spins back in and goes through the gate to rattles the stumps. Perfect start for Sri Lanaka. Suddenly the target looks quite big for Zimbabwe.

 This one straightens off the deck. Shumba blocks it out. 

 Another solid block from Shumba on the front foot. 

Fuller and on middle, pushed to mid on.

Again slants it on middle. Shumba stays back and nudges it to mid-wicket for a quick single. 

 Length ball, outside off. Kaitano opens the bat face and guides it to third man for a single. There was a slip but he played with really soft hands. 

 An appeal but the bowler is not putting any shift here. This is on a length and down the leg side. There was a sound as Williams tried to flick it but seems to have missed it. The keeper dives to his right and takes it. Was off the thigh pad though.

Length and on middle, punched to covers.

On middle, blocked out.

 Bangs a short ball, at 143 clicks, on middle. Williams looks to pull it but misses. 

 Short of a length, on middle. Williams drops his wrists and lets it through. Just a single then. Good start from the Sri Lankan bowlers. 

Full and on leg. Kaitano defends it to the leg side.

Tossed up, on the pads. Kaitano pushes it past mid on for a single this time.

 This one comes with the angle, full and on middle. Williams prods to defend and gets a thick inside edge onto the pads.

 Slightly short, on middle, punched off the back foot to covers.

 Again an arm ball, full and on middle. Williams looks to flick but inside edges it onto the pads. This is really good bowling from Maheesh Theekshana.

On middle. Blocked out.

Length ball, on leg. Williams flicks it through square leg for a single.

Good length, outside off. Kaitano dabs it to point.

FOUR! Picks it up nicely this time. Fuller, on middle and leg. Kaitano uses his wrists really well this time and lifts it towards deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

EDGED! Back of a length, on the body. Kaitano looks to pull it away but gets it to square leg off the top-edge. The ball lands safely and they take one.

This time Sean Williams gets lucky. Back of a length, on off. Sean Williams hangs back and looks to pull it away but gets his eyes off at the last moment. The ball flies off the outside edge and just over the square leg fielder. They take two.

Full length, outside off. Williams drives it through covers for a brace. Good over for Zimbabwe this one.

Fuller, on off, Kaitano drives it through covers and gets three before the fielder cuts it out.

Short and outside off, punched to cover.

On off, clipped to the leg side.

A loud appeal for lbw but turned down! Looped up, outside off, this one comes in sharply with the arm. Sean Williams shoulders arms to it and gets hit on the knee roll. The players appeal for LBW but the umpire is unmoved. The players have a talk with the skipper but in the end decide to go against the review.

On off, pushed towards cover.

Full, on leg, Williams clips it to mid-wicket for a single.

Good-length ball, outside off. Regis Chakabva dabs it to backward point.

OUT! CAUGHT! Dushmantha Chameera strikes and draws the first blood. An ideal start for the hosts, they have got the early wicket they were looking for. Chameera dishes a length ball, outside off. Regis Chakabva hangs his blade away from his body and gets an outside edge. The ball goes towards the man at first slip. It is dying as it flies back. Charith Asalanka dives forward and takes a sharp catch. 

OUT! CAUGHT! Back-to-back wickets for Sri Lanka. The crowd is up in celebration. Dushmantha Chameera sends the back the opposition skipper on a golden duck and finds himself on a Hat-Trick. A length ball, angled across the left-hander, in the corridor of uncertainty. Craig Ervine looks to defend it out but only manages to get a thick outside edge. Kusal Mendis dives to his left to take a really good catch. Zimbabwe in a spot of bother straightaway. 

Good length, wide outside off. Williams leaves it alone for the keeper and there goes the chance for Chameera to bag a Hat-Trick.

Short and outside off, Williams cuts it to point.

Back of a length, outside off, left alone.

Full and outside off, drifts in a bit. Kaitano presses forward and defends it out.

Looped up, full and on off. Kaitano comes forward and blocks it to mid off.

This one stays low! Full, on the stumps, not much bounce this time. Kaitano gets his blade down in time to push it to the leg side.

Tossed up, around leg. Kaitano flicks it to mid-wicket.

Full and outside off. Kaitano pushes it to cover.

Outside off, Kaitano taps it to point. A maiden over to start with for Maheesh Theekshana.

Full length, on off. Kaitano pushes it to mid off. 

Two dots in a row! A length ball, angled in on leg. Kaitano misses his flick. The ball rolls out to the leg side off the thigh pad.

Length ball, on the pads, Kaitano flicks it through square leg for a single. Zimbabwe are off the mark.

Fuller, sliding down leg. Regis Chakabva clips it to deep square leg for a run, He gets off the mark as well.

On leg stump, touch straight this time. Takudzwanashe Kaitano flicks it to deep square leg for another single.

Chameera continues to bowl it down leg. Regis Chakabva gets it off his thigh pad to the left of the keeper. A dot to end the over. A tidy start by Chameera, just three runs off it.