Dilshan and Warnapura set up Sri Lankan win

Sri Lanka A 319 for 5 (Dilshan 111, Warnapura 111, Udawatte 43) beat Zimbabwe Select 267 for 9 (Taylor 50, Chibhabha 44, Matsikenyeri 43) by 56 runs
Scorecard

Centuries by captain Tillakaratne Dilshan and Malinda Warnapura helped Sri Lanka A to a 56-run win over Zimbabwe Select in the first one-dayer in Bulawayo.

Chasing 320 to win, Zimbabwe lost Vusi Sibanda in the fourth over, caught behind by Kaushal Silva off Nuwan Kulasekara. Brendan Taylor and Chamu Chibhabha kept their team in the hunt, putting on 91 runs for the second wicket before Chibhabha was run out. Taylor fell soon after, bowled by Dammika Prasad. Tatenda Taibu, on whom a lot of Zimbabwe's hopes rested, started off in an aggressive vein, smashing two sixes and a four, before falling to the left-arm spin of Rangana Herath for 31.

Zimbabwe lost their way, the batsman failing to build on their starts - all except Timycen Maruma and Blessing Mahwire, who did not bat, reached double figures - as wickets fell in regular intervals. Stuart Matsinkeyeri's 43 was in vain as the target proved to be beyond their means. Prasad was the stand-out bowler, taking 3 for 36, and Sri Lanka claimed a convincing win.

Earlier, Sri Lanka lost an early wicket after being sent in, Perera nicking Mahwire to Taibu. But Mahela Udawatte and Warnapura added 64 runs for the second wicket at almost a run a ball to help Sri Lanka gain momentum. Udawatte fell for 43 when he edged Chibhabha to the wicketkeeper. Dilshan's arrival at the crease upped the rate, as he and Warnapura went on to add 175 runs off 166 balls.

Warnapura fell immediately after reaching his century, which came off 102 balls, when he was stumped off the part-time bowling of Taibu, who had given his gloves to Taylor. Dilshan was there to see his team past the 300-run mark, before he was caught by Maruma off Gary Brent for a 104-ball 111, which included two sixes and seven fours.