Dilshan, Tharanga lead Lanka to 327

Openers Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga hit centuries during a record World Cup opening stand to lift Sri Lanka to 327-6 against hapless Zimbabwe on Thursday.

Dilshan scored 144 for his ninth one-day hundred, while left-hander Tharanga notched a career-best 133, making Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura pay for his decision to field after winning the toss on a docile pitch.

They put on 282, just failing to beat the record opening stand of 286 in all 50-over cricket. Tharanga also featured in that partnership with Sanath Jayasuriya against England at Leeds in 2006.

Thursday's efforts also represented the fourth highest partnership for any wicket in ODI history.

It all ended when Tharanga was caught at cover by Chigumbura in Christopher Mpofu's 45th over, after a brilliant 141-ball knock, spiced by 17 hits to the fece.

Dilshan fell in the next over, caught off spinner Prosper Utseya off a miscued drive.

The 34-year-old opener smashed one six and 16 boundaries during his attractive 131-ball knock.

Mpofu finished with 4-64 as Sri Lanka lost four more wickets for just 45 runs late in the innings as they set the stage for a victory which will ensure a place in the quarter-finals.

Dilshan cut loose as early as in the second over, hitting paceman Tinashe Panyangara for three boundaries and a six.

Tharanga matched his partner shot for shot, notching three boundaries in one Mpofu over to help Sri Lanka reach 77-0 in 10 overs.

Dilshan reached his hundred with a quick single towards cover off Chigumbura, taking 95 balls to reach the three-figure as a capacity 30,000 gave him a standing ovation.

In the 33rd over, Tharanga hit Panyangara for another boundary to create a new World Cup record for the first wicket, beating the 194 set by Pakistan's Saeed Anwar and Wajahatullah Wasti, against New Zealand at Manchester in 1999.

Tharanga soon joined Dilshan as century maker when he drove Raymond Price towards extra-cover for his 12th boundary to reach his tenth one-day hundred and first in the World Cup.

His previous best of 120 had come against England at Lord's in 2006.

Sri Lanka brought back pacemen Thisara Perera and Nuwan Kulasekara in place of spinners Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath who featured in the abandoned match against Australia on Saturday.

Zimbabwe brought in Mpofu for opening batsman Charles Coventry.

Scorecard

Sri Lanka

U. Tharanga c Chigumbura b Mpofu 133

T. Dilshan c Panyangara b Utseya 144

T. Prera c Chigumbura b Price 3

M. Jayawardene c Chakabva b Mpofu 9

K. Sangakkara not out 11

A. Mathews c Chigumbura b Mpofu 0

C. Silva c Panyangara b Mpofu 4

T. Samaraweera not out 8

Extras: (b2, lb3, nb1, w9) 15

Total: (for six wkts; 50 overs) 327

Fall of wickets: 1-282 (Tharanga), 2-289 (Dilshan), 3-296 (Prera), 4-300 (Jayawardene), 5-302 (Mathews), 6-308 (Silva)

Bowling: Mpofu 7-0-62-4 (nb1, w2), Panyangara 6-0-51-0 (w2), Price 9-1-46-1 (w2), Chigumbura 3-0-20-0, Utseya 10-0-50-1 (w1), Cremer 7-0-42-0 (w1), Lamb 8-0-51-0 (w1)

Umpires: Marais Erasmus (RSA) and Nigel Llong (ENG)

TV umpire: Tony Hill (NZL)

Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

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