Ervine steers Zimbabwe to series-leveling win

Craig Ervine hit a quick-fire 69 off 55 balls to help Zimbabwe pull off a four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the rain-shortened fourth One-Day International and level the five-match series at 2-2 in Hambantota on Saturday.

Chasing a Duckworth-Lewis revised target of 219 in 31 overs, Zimbabwe rode on Ervine's unbeaten knock to win with 10 balls to spare at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium.

Earlier, Niroshan Dickwella (116) and Danushka Gunathilaka (87) put together 209 runs in Sri Lanka's 300 for 6 -- becoming the first pair in ODI history to score back-to-back double century partnerships. The left-handed batting duo had put on a 229-run match-winning stand in the previous ODI on Thursday at the same venue but their efforts went in vain the second time around.

Solomon Mire (43) and Hamilton Masakadza (28) set up the Zimbabwe chase before Wanindu Hasaranga, the teenage leg-spinner who took three wickets, sent the openers trudging back to the pavilion. But Ervine and Malcolm Waller (20) made sure the chase remained on track with their 43-run sixth-wicket partnership after rain interrupted play for over one-and-a-half hours.

Ervine, the left-handed batsman, smashed eight fours and a six to get the Player of the Match award.

For the home side, Dickwella hit his second successive century while Gunathilaka was bowled 13 short of what could have been his second ODI ton. Dickwella, who scored 102 on Thursday at the same venue, played a patient 118-ball knock laced with eight boundaries before being trapped leg before wicket.

Waller, the Zimbabwe off-spinner, got the prized wickets of the openers in successive overs to pull things back for the visitors. Chris Mpofu, the paceman, also got two wickets to rattle the Sri Lankan middle order as the home side slipped from 216 for 1 to 263 for 5.

Angelo Mathews, the Sri Lankan skipper, then revived the innings with a 40-ball 42 and some help from Hasaranga (19 not out) during their 37-run partnership for the seventh wicket, but it wasn't enough to stop Zimbabwe, especially once the heavens opened up.

Meanwhile, Cremer was docked 20 per cent of his match fee for his team's slow over rate while the rest of the side was slapped with a 10 per cent penalty. Zimbabwe was found to be one over short of its target after time allowances were taken into consideration by Chris Broad, the International Cricket Council match referee.

The fifth and deciding ODI is scheduled on Monday at the same venue. The two sides will also play a one-off Test starting on July 14.