International Cricket

Sri Lanka remain on course for a series whitewash in the fifth ODI against Zimbabwe, but will be made to work for it.

The tourists were bowled out for 152 on Sunday morning.

Thilina Kandamby top-scored with 40 for Sri Lanka, who won the first two ODIs comprehensively but were made to work in the rain-affected third to win by five runs before struggling again to reach a target of only 146 with 15 balls to spare in the fourth.

The day started poorly for the tourists, as openers Upul Tharanga and Mahela Jayawardene posted only six runs off 34 balls before the former was bowled by Ed Rainsford - responsible for three wickets - then the latter caught by Prosper Utseya off the bowling of Tawanda Mupariwa.

Before Kandamby came to the crease at number five, Sri Lanka managed a meagre 38 runs off the first 100 balls as Chamara Kapugedera was caught at midwicket by Stuart Matsikenyeri for only four runs then Kumar Sangakkara fell to a catch by Tatenda Taibu after weighing in with 28 runs.

But the introduction of the 26-year-old sparked some life into the tourists. After Jehan Mubarak was caught for 16 by Matsikenyeri, Kandamby and Angelo Mathews set about running up the score until the former was run out.

Mathews amassed 31 runs to take the total to 150 for nine before he was caught by Hamilton Masakadza.

Before he fell, Nuwan Kulasekara was bowled by Ray Price for a single run and Muttiah Muralitharan was run out for five.

Dilhara Fernando added two more runs before becoming the last man to go after being bowled right on middle stump by Rainsford.