Harare: Captain Graeme Cremer scored his maiden Test century Monday to help Zimbabwe avoid the follow-on as they scored 373 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 537 in the first Test.
Sri Lanka closed the third day five without loss in their second innings, a 169-run overall lead.
Cremer’s ton received an ecstatic reception from the small crowd as Zimbabwe showed gutsy determination that had been missing through six successive Test defeats going into the two-match series against the in-form but injury-hit Sri Lankans.
Zimbabwe’s lower-order rally was inspired by their captain, whose previous high Test score was 43 against Bangladesh three years ago.
Cremer shared a 132-run partnership for the seventh wicket with wicketkeeper Peter Moor, playing only his second Test, and another 92-run stand with Donald Tiripano for the eighth wicket.
The 30-year-old Cremer was 102 not out off 207 balls at the end of the innings.
Moor fell for 79, fending off a bouncer to hand teenage debutant Lahiru Kumara his first Test wicket. Tiripano (46) was trapped lbw by Kusal Mendes, usually a wicketkeeper and bowling only his second over in Tests.
Zimbabwe’s collapse in the morning owed more to a series of rash strokes than trying conditions or outstanding bowling, as they resumed on a promising 88 for one.
Opener Tino Mawoyo started the trend when he pulled a short ball from Suranga Lakmal straight to the man in the deep to depart for 45, and two overs later Hamilton Masakadza prodded forward to edge Lakmal to slip for 33.
A careless sweep from Sean Williams saw him pick out deep midwicket, and a lack of foot movement accounted for Craig Ervine and Malcolm Waller as they were trapped lbw by Dilruwan Perera.
At 139 for six, Zimbabwe were in danger of being shot out and forced to follow on, but Moor’s counter-attacking knock changed the momentum of the innings.
His two early sixes forced the field back, while Cremer was content to provide dogged support from the other end.
