Sri Lanka win easy

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe (AP):

Sri Lanka brought Zimbabwe back to earth with a dominant nine-wicket win in the third tri-nations series one-day international yesterday.

Sri Lanka's bowlers laid the foundation with a disciplined bowling performance in a match reduced to 26 overs per side due to a rain-delayed start at Queens Sports Club. They bowled out the Zimbabweans for 118 in the 25th over before easing to 119-1.

Captain Tillakaratne Dilshan guided Sri Lanka home comfortably with an unbeaten 60, supported by opener Upul Tharanga with 40.

Tharanga was run out by Prosper Utseya's throw in the 11th over.

"Definitely, we were under pressure after losing to India (by seven wickets on Sunday) but our bowlers did their job well," Dilshan said.

The result left all three teams with one win each. The final is on June 9.

Earlier, offspinner Suraj Randiv was the chief tormentor for Zimbabwe, claiming 3-23 from his five overs. He removed Charles Coventry (11), Andy Blignaut (11) and Graeme Cremer (2) in the span of eight balls.

Randiv bowled with nagging accuracy and got the ball to turn sharply away from the out-of-sorts Zimbabwe batsmen.

Opener Hamilton Masakadza was the topscorer for Zimbabwe with 62 from 69 balls, batting in the gloom as wickets fell cheaply at the other end. He exited in the 25th over after chipping to Nuwan Kulasekara in the deep from Dilhara Fernando's bowling.

Pace bowler Fernando and spinners Ajantha Mendis and Jeevan Mendis grabbed two wickets each.

Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura said his team lost too many wickets.

"It's disappointing that we are still doing the same thing we've been doing; losing group wickets," he said. "But we still have a chance in the series. It's just a matter of winning the next two games."