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Football
Lanka demolishes Zimbabwe
COLOMBO, DEC. 31. Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan spun Sri Lanka to its biggest Test victory on Monday as the home side defeated Zimbabwe by an innings and 166 runs on the fourth day of the first Test.
Muralitharan captured four for 35 in Zimbabwe's second innings of 236 to finish the year with the world's leading haul of 80 wickets. His team extended its run of consecutive victories to six. Despite finishing the match with eight for 88, Muralitharan was beaten for the man-of-the-match award by Kumar Sangakkara, who top-scored with 128 in Sri Lanka's first innings 586 for six declared.
``It was not an easy pitch to get wickets for Murali. He had to put in a lot of hard work to get those wickets. I am very happy with the way he performed,'' said Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya.``If we were held up by the weather we wouldn't mind coming back tomorrow to finish it off. But the new ball was due and we tried it out with success.''
Sri Lanka just managed to beat a heavy deluge 20 minutes after the end of the match which inundated the ground with pools of water. Rain also washed out nearly an hour's play shortly before tea. None of the Zimbabwe batsmen managed to reach the half-century mark with the top score being 44 by nightwatchman Travis Friend.
Former captain and pace bowler Heath Streak was the team's second highest scorer on a bland batting pitch with 36 not out. Muralitharan took two for 19 from 12 overs.
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