HARARE, Zimbabwe (Reuters) – Donald Tiripano and Sikandar Raza took a wicket each as Zimbabwe reduced Sri Lanka to 122 for two in their first innings before bad light brought a premature end to the second day of the final Test at the Harare Sports Club yesterday.

Zimbabwe had posted 406 all out in their first innings and lead by 284 runs on a wicket that is offering little encouragement to the seamers, but providing turn for the spin-bowlers, which is likely to be the key factor in the remainder of the Test.

Kusal Mendis (19 not out) and Angelo Mathews (four not out), who crafted an unbeaten double ton in the first Test, will resume on the third morning with Zimbabwe the happier of the two camps.

The home side claimed the wickets of both Sri Lanka openers with their scores on 44. Captain Dimuth Karunaratne was trapped leg-before-wicket by off-spinner Raza before Oshada Fernando edged seamer Tiripano to wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva.

Sean Williams top-scored in the Zimbabwe first innings on Monday with a superb 107 from 137 balls.

With the hosts resuming day two on 352 for six, Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya put a poor first day behind him as he claimed three of the final four wickets for figures of 4-182.

Zimbabwe will feel well ahead in the game if they can pick up key wickets in the first session today, having made it into the final hour on the fifth day of the first Test at the same venue earlier this month, only to lose by 10 wickets.

It was their return to the international arena having been briefly suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC last year because of government interference.

ZIMBABWE 1st innings
Prince Masvaure c Niroshan Dickwella b Lahiru Kumara 9
Kevin Kasuza b Suranga Lakmal 38
Craig Ervine c Oshada Fernando b Dhananjaya de Silva 12
Brendan Taylor lbw Suranga Lakmal 62
Sean Williams b Dhananjaya de Silva 107
Sikandar Raza c Angelo Mathews b Lasith Embuldeniya 72
Regis Chakabva c Niroshan Dickwella b Lasith Embuldeniya 31
Tinotenda Mutombodzi lbw Dhananjaya de Silva 33
Donald Tiripano c Suranga Lakmal b Lasith Embuldeniya 13
Carl Mumba not out 11
Victor Nyauchi c Dhananjaya de Silva b Lasith Embuldeniya 6
Extras: (b-8, lb-3, nb-1) 12
Total: (all out, 115.3 overs) 406
Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-49, 3-114, 4-133, 5-292, 6-324, 7-362, 8-386, 9-394.
Bowling: Suranga Lakmal 22-9-37-2 (nb-1), Vishwa Fernando 14-1-45-0, Lahiru Kumara 20-5-60-1, Lasith Embuldeniya 42.3-8-182-4, Dhananjaya de Silva 17-1-71-3.

SRI LANKA 1st innings
Dimuth Karunaratne lbw Sikandar Raza 44
Oshada Fernando c Regis Chakabva b Donald Tiripano 44
Kusal Mendis not out 19
Angelo Mathews not out 4
Extras: (b-2, lb-9) 11
Total: (two wkts, 54.0 overs) 122
Fall of wickets: 1-94, 2-104.
Bowling: Carl Mumba 9-1-23-0, Sikandar Raza 17- 4-39-1, Donald Tiripano 12-9-5-1, Victor Nyauchi 11-4-17-0, Tinotenda Mutombodzi 5-0-27-0.