Cremer finished with figures of 3-100 off 30 overs at the end of the second day

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer took a three-wicket haul to keep his side marginally on top of Sri Lanka on the second day of the one-off Test in Colombo.

Starting off the day on 344/8, Zimbabwe lost Donald Tiripano early on as he was dismissed by Rangana Herath for 27.

The tourists ended up being bowled out for 356 when Craig Ervine, who made an unbeaten 151 on the opening day, was removed by Lahiru Kumara for 160, which came off 256 balls and included 13 boundaries and a six.

Herath was the pick of the bowlers with five wickets, while Kumara and Asela Gunaratne snapped up two wickets apiece. Dilruwan Perera, meanwhile, chipped in with one.

Herath picked up his 30th five-wicket haul in Test cricket

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Trailing by 356 runs, Sri Lanka got off to a strong start as Dimuth Karunaratne and Upul Tharanga put together an 84-run partnership, during which Tharanga surpassed his fifty, before Karunaratne was sent packing by Tiripano for 25.

Tharanga scored his seventh Test fifty

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Kusal Mendis only made 11 runs before being caught behind off the bowling of Cremer, while Tharaga went on to score 71 off 107 deliveries, which included 10 boundaries and a six, before he was run out by Tiripano.

Captain Dinesh Chandimal and his predecessor Angelo Mathews stabilised the innings with a 96-run stand, during which Chandimal brought up his half-century.

Chandimal scored a solid half-century in his first innings as Test captain

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However, he was unable to make the most of it as he was caught behind off the bowling of Cremer for 55, which came off 100 balls and included six boundaries.

Cremer then proceeded to clean bowl wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella, while Sean Williams took out Mathews, who made 41.

With the end of the day approaching, Zimbabwe struck again as Dilruwan was run out for 33.

Gunaratne and Herath ensured Sri Lanka lost no more wickets as they amassed an unbeaten 19-run partnership before stumps was called.

Gunaratne finished on 24 off 44 balls, which included two boundaries, while Herath remained undefeated on five off nine deliveries, which included a solitary boundary.

Cremer was the most successful bowler with three wickets, while Tiripano and Williams claimed one wicket each.

Sri Lanka ended day two on 293/7 and will continue batting on Sunday at 10:00 local time or 04:30 GMT.