Sri Lanka didn't get to an optimistic high score after a brilliant show by Dilshan and Sangakkara to get to the previous overnight score of 245/2, they got themselves to a high score and got 2 early wickets in what it turns out to be the spinner's day.
It all started with some fine hitting between Mahela Jayawerdene and Kumar Sangakkara when the fiery youngster Junaid Khan bitzed a yorker to dismiss the latter for an lbw. Angelo Matthew tried to help with Sangakkara with building up a partnership but struggled with the slow and moving nature of the pitch and finally succumbed Abdur Rehman who was one of the 2 spinners that were owning the game for Pakistan with only one wicket but with the lowest economy rate of 2.28.
Saeed Ajmal was the star as he had 4 wickets including the key wicket that broke the momentum of Sri Lanka's batting which was Sangakkara as well as picking off the middle order. But number 10 batter, Rangana Herath resisted the spin as well as using his spin bowling experience and pushed Sri Lanka beyond the 400 mark. He hit an unbeaten 35 ball blitz of 34 runs with 4 fours and 1 six and was the last man standing while the fast bowlers of Umar Gul (3-76) and Junaid Khan (2-94) picked off the tailenders to bowl out Sri Lanka for 413.
The Pakistan batting hasn't come to the standard of previous Tests of the series and the openers of Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar didn't feel confident, at ease and comfortable in the crease with the way the swing bowlers swing the ball away from them. For Hafeez, the pressure of not getting used to the wicket came to him and made a half-hearted cut short to slip to fall in the first hurdle. Taufeeq Umar also gave away to the pressure although he scored 19 from 40 balls before being stumped by an unsurprising turning ball to send him stumping out by a long way to leave Pakistan with 2 new batsmen and at 35/2 with both openers dismissed and being capable to post a good 1st innings score for Pakistan in such a hard week for their cricket.
Zimbabwe 313 and 61 for 2 (Mawoyo 27*, Bracewell 2-17) need 305 runs to beat New Zealand 426 and 252 for 8 dec. (Taylor 76, Williamson 68, Jarvis 5-64)
With 305 runs to win with 8 wickets in hand, this is a tough call for Zimbabwe but expect some tooth and claw action tomorrow.
New Zealand looked good to take the game away from Zimbabwe after a bad start to the 4th day of play with Jeetan Patel was out by 9 playing an awkward shot for the kind of ball being bowled by Kyle Jarvis who bagged himself a 5 wicket haul. Kane Williamson (68) and Ross Taylor (76) put on a 119 runs 4th wicket partnership and look to be the repeat of the 1st day of play for the Zimbabwe bowlers until both batsmen were part of Kyle Jarvis's 5 victims with his full pitched fast bowling that seemed to pay off. Daniel Vettori and Reece Watling looked to be the tailenders pushing the target to a competitive level with their rapid 31 from 42 balls and 35 from 37 balls.
Vettori, keen in winning the Test contest, declared in the hope of bowling Zimbabwe out before the end of the Test match and they were one step near that goal after dismissing near centurion, Vusi Sibanda for 19. Hamilton Masakadza and opener Tino Mawayo looked to be setting a good partnership in time for the next day of play when in the very last ball of the day, Masakadza played a rash shot of a short ball from Doug Bracewell to leave him dismissed, caught at gully. This has brought some panic into the Zimbabwe changing room into reaching the target but will they keep their head together to a big Test upset or let the Kiwis leave Zimbabwe with a victory to their belt?
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