Hot Vaas puts Sri Lanka firmly in control

Chaminda Vaas hit an unbeaten 72 and then picked up a wicket with his first ball as Sri Lanka took firm control of the second Test against Zimbabwe on Sunday.

Vaas and Buddhika Fernando (45) had shared an eighth wicket partnership of 111 on the third day of the match, before Zimbabwe finally bowled out the home side for 505.

The Zimbabweans then slumped to 68-3 at the close and are staring a series defeat in the face after losing the first Test by a massive innings and 166 runs.

Vaas's batting effort helped Sri Lanka build a lead of 269 in reply to Zimbabwe's first innings total of 236.

Vaas hit seven fours in his knock but was left stranded two short of his first class best 74 - made in the first Test in Colombo last week.

Having tormented the weak Zimbabwe attack with his batting skills, Vaas turned on the power with the ball as Zimbabwe were left reeling.

Vaas clean bowled Masakadza middle-stump and followed it up with the wicket of Stuart Carlisle, who was out for nine, superbly caught by Marvan Atapattu diving left at square leg.

Muttiah Muralitharan, who claimed nine Zimbabwean wickets in the first innings, had Trevor Gripper out lbw for 21 to complete the visitors' misery.

His 10th wicket in the game took Muralitharan past Richard Hadlee's previous Test record of nine 10-wicket match hauls and was some compensation for missing out on a piece of history on Saturday when Vaas took the final wicket of the first innings.

Vaas's exploits on Sunday came a month after a one-dayer in which the paceman took a world record eight for 19 as Zimbabwe were all out for a record low 38.

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Mail Cricket Editor