A brave fight-back by Zimbabwe’s adhesive openers on the third day of thefinal Janashakthi National Test match saved the visitors the ignominy offollowing on and sent Muttiah Muralitharan to bed still dreaming of his400th wicket

Charlie Austin14-Jan-2002A brave fight-back by Zimbabwe’s adhesive openers on the third day of thefinal Janashakthi National Test match saved the visitors the ignominy offollowing on and sent Muttiah Muralitharan to bed still dreaming of his400th wicket.Stand-in opener Stuart Carlisle and Trevor Gripper had frustrated Sri Lankafor three and a half hours as they posted a record 153 first wicket stand.However, on the brink of tea, Sri Lankan skipper Sanath Jayasuriya luredTrevor Gripper out of his crease for a stumping that triggered an all toofamiliar collapse. Five wickets fell for 18 runs and suddenly Zimbabwe,still 47 runs adrift, looked unlikely to avert the follow-on.But the experienced pair of Grant Flower and Heath Streak then batted outthe remaining 84 minutes before the close, saving the follow-on in theprocess, to leave the visitors on 230 for five with their best chance of adraw so far in the series.Indeed, Zimbabwean captain was bullish afterwards: “Who knows, we might beable to get in front of them and then the whole pressure will reverse. Wewill be hoping for a big partnership from Heath (Streak) and Grant (Flower)and than have Dion Ebrahim and Douglas Marillier still to come.”He was delighted with the spirit displayed by his side during the firstthree days: “It was very clear in our minds that we had to come out here inthe third Test meaning business so that we could finish going in the rightdirection. There was plenty to gain with the forthcoming tour of Indiaaround the corner.”The key to the opening pair’s success was twofold. First, the pitch may havepowdered, but it was so slow and low that it was rarely dangerous,especially during the first half of the day after the deadening effect ofthe heavy roller before play.Second, they learned from their early encounters against Muralitharan andemployed a simple but effective strategy against the off-spinner. Rarely didthey go back and only reluctantly was a big shot aimed. Patience was the keyand they didn’t give two hoots for the miserly run-rate.Nevertheless, Muralitharan, wheeled away almost without a break as his team,the crowd and the sponsors, who had bedecked the stadium with celebratoryballoons, willed him on to the 400 mark.He bowled an exhausting 47 overs in the day with up to six squawky closefielders breathing down on the batsman’s toes. He beat the bat frequentlyand greatly impressed umpire David Sheperd, who looked on eagerly like achild at his first magicians show, but increasingly looked unlikely tobreakthrough.At the other end Jayasuriya relied mainly on his pace bowlers, but theyfailed to swerve the old ball as dangerously as had been hoped and theZimbabwean pair crawled onwards.Zimbabwe scored 73 runs in the morning and then raised the tempo slightly inthe afternoon, as they passed the previous best opening partnership of 113against Sri Lankan compiled by Grant Flower and M.H. Dekker in 1994/5.Zimbabwe’s all-country first-wicket record (164 by Dion Ebrahim and AlaisterCampbell against West Indies last year) also looked in danger as Carlislemoved past his previous Test best (62 not out) and Gripper plodded towardshis second Test century.But, belatedly, Jayasuriya decided the time had come for his skidding,low-armed darts. Gripper greeted him with a lofted drive before beingstumped for 83 minutes before tea.Suddenly, fresh life was breathed into the previously despondent Sri Lankansand Craig Wishart (1) succumbed when he shouldered arms to a straight ballfrom Jayasuriya.After tea the slide continued. Carlisle was finally pinned to his backfootby Muralitharan to be adjudged lbw for 64 and Jayasuriya had Gavin Rennie(7) snapped up at short led.Five minutes later Andy Flower had edged Muralitharan to second slip -wicket number 397 – and supporters started preparations for the 400celebrations. But, as Carlisle said afterwards: “They will have to put awaytheir balloons for another day.”