23 Nov 2008

Sri Lanka crush Zimbabwe in second one-dayer

6:17 am on 23 November 2008

Zimbabwe have suffered a humiliating nine-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka after being bowled out for just 67 in the second one day cricket international in Harare.

The Sri Lankans disdainfully knocked off the required 68 runs to win by nine wickets. Their score, reached just 10 balls after lunch, was 1-71 in 31 sedate and casual overs.

Two days after a senior ICC delegation turned up to assess Zimbabwe's suitability for a return to Test cricket the country's batsmen ruined everything by cobbling together the dismal score in a backs-to-the-wall 31 overs.

The shocking loss follows one that was barely better two days ago in the first of the five-match ODI series when Zimbabwe struggled to reach 124. They've now made fewer than 200 runs in two innings while the tourists have required only five completed individual innings.

In other cricket news, South Africa beat Bangladesh by an innings and 129 runs on the fourth day of the first Test.

And the England bowler Ryan Sidebottom has been ruled out of the fourth one day international against India with a back injury.

The tourists trail 3-0 in the seven-match series.