PALLEKELE: Suranga Lakmal took three key wickets in a tense encounter Wednesday cut short by rain to guide Sri Lanka to their first One-day International win over South Africa in 12 matches (partly reported in Thursday’s edition).

Dasun Shanaka hit 65 while Thisara Perera and Kusal Perera each made 51 as Sri Lanka blasted 306-7 off 39 overs. Set a target of 191 from 21 overs because of the bad weather, South Africa ran out of inspiration and finished on 187-9 in the fourth ODI at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

Lakmal bowled South Africa’s stand-in captain and opener Quinton de Kock, and then at the climax of the game claimed the tourists’ final batting hopes Willem Mulder and David Miller.

Sri Lanka had lost 11 previous one day games against South Africa stretching back to their last win in 2014 at the same Pallekele ground.

South Africa already had the series sealed by winning the first three one-day games on this tour. But de Kock was still disappointed in his first match in place of captain Faf du Plessis who has been ruled out with a shoulder injury.

“They kept picking up wickets at the right time and bowled well,” he said. “It always hurts more when you lose as captain.”

De Kock passed 4,000 runs in One-day Internationals with a four in the second over before the rain came and South Africa’s 39 overs were cut to 21.

Hashim Amla hit a 40 with six fours and J.P. Duminy smashed two sixes and three fours as South Africa seemed to be heading for a fourth straight win in this series.

But Shanaka brilliantly ran out Duminy with a direct hit throw and Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews pulled off a brilliant catch to send back Heinrich Klaasen.

Mulder also fell to a spectacular diving catch by Dhananjaya de Silva.

South Africa’s batting threat ended when Miller went for 21 and Lakmal made no mistakes keeping the lid on tail-enders Junior Dala and Lungi Ngidi for the final five balls.

“It was very important to win,” said a relieved Mathews. “The batters put up a decent score on a good pitch to bat on, it was a fantastic effort by the bowlers as well.”

For Sri Lanka, man-of-the-match Shanaka hit five sixes and four fours to anchor the innings.

The final game is in Colombo on Sunday.

Scoreboard

SRI LANKA:

N. Dickwella c de Kock b Duminy 34
W.U. Tharanga b Mulder 36
B.K.G. Mendis lbw b Maharaj 14
M.D.K.J. Perera c Miller b Duminy 51
A.D. Mathews c de Kock b Ngidi 22
D.M. de Silva c Dala b Ngidi 10
N.L.T.C. Perera not out 51
M.D. Shanaka c Mulder b Phehlukwayo 65
A. Dananjaya not out 1
EXTRAS (LB-9, W-12, NB-1) 22
TOTAL (for seven wkts, 39 overs) 306
FALL OF WKTS: 1-61, 2-92, 3-100, 4-159, 5-183, 6-195, 7-304. DID NOT BAT: R.A.S. Lakmal, C.B.R.L.S. Kumara.
BOWLING: Ngidi 8-0-65-2 (1w); Dala 8-0-64-0 (1nb, 3w); Phehlukwayo 6-0-45-1 (3w); Duminy 6-0-35-2; Mulder 6-0-51-1 (4w); Maharaj 5-0-37-1.

SOUTH AFRICA:

Q. de Kock b Lakmal 23
H.M. Amla c Kumara b Dananjaya 40
R.R. Hendricks c de Silva b Shanaka 2
J.P. Duminy run out 38
H. Klaasen c Mathews b de Silva 17
D.A. Miller b Lakmal 21
A.L. Phehlukwayo b T. Perera 9
P.W.A. Mulder c de Silva b Lakmal 4
K.A. Maharaj b T. Perera 17
C.J. Dala not out 3
L. Ngidi not out 1
EXTRAS (LB-5, W-6, NB-1) 12
TOTAL (for nine wkts, 21 overs) 187
FALL OF WKTS: 1-34, 2-51, 3-108, 4-129, 5-130, 6-149, 7-155, 8-183, 9-183. BOWLING: Lakmal 5-0-46-3 (1nb, 1w); Dananjaya 3-0-30-1 (2w); N.L.T.C. Perera 4-0-32-2 (1w); Shanaka 2-0-20-1; Kumara 3-0-28-0; de Silva 4-0-26-1 (2w). RESULT: Sri Lanka won by three runs (D/L Method); South Africa lead five-match series 3-1. UMPIRES: L.E. Hannibal (Sri Lanka and P.R. Reiffel (Australia). TV UMPIRE: N.J. Llong (England).
MATCH REFEREE: J. Srinath (India). MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Dasun Shanaka. FIFTH MATCH: Colombo (RPS, D/N), Sunday.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2018