Sean Williams starred with the bat on day one of the second Test against Sri Lanka with a clinical 107 while Brendan Taylor and Sikandar Raza made the fifties as Zimbabwe went to stumps on 352/6, in Harare, on Monday.
Williams’s hundred came off 137 balls in 208 minutes and was studded with 10 fours and three sixes. It was his second century in Tests with the first coming in 2016 against New Zealand.
After opting to bat, the hosts got off to a shaky start, losing opener Prince Masvaure early for nine off Lahiru Kumara’s bowling while Craig Ervine, who scored 85 in the first innings of the previous Test, was bowled by Suranga Lakmal for 12.
The experienced Taylor then joined forces with opener Kevin Kasuza, and steadied the proceedings, taking their side to 96/2 at lunch. The duo stitched a 65-run partnership together before Lahiru Kumara had Kasuza trapped in front early in the afternoon session.
Taylor fell shortly after the opener’s dismissal after playing a valiant knock. He brought up his half-century off just 46 balls and went on to make a run-a-ball 62 before becoming Lakmal’s 150th Test victim.
Later, Raza and Williams took control of the Zimbabwe innings with a solid 159-run partnership. Their brilliant stand came to an end when Lasith Embuldeniya struck on the last ball of the 72nd over, dismissing Raza for a 99-ball 72.
Dhananjaya de Silva then snared the prized scalp of skipper Williams, the last batsman to fall on day one. Regis Chakabva remained unbeaten on 31 with Tinotenda Mutombodzi keeping him company on 10.
Lakmal and de Silva shared four wickets between them while Kumara and Embuldeniya chipped in with one scalp apiece.
In partnership with ANA and Sports Leo
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