CENTURION (South Africa), Nov 30: Graeme Smith and Boeta Dippenaar, two batsmen seeking to cement their places in South Africa’s World Cup squad, set up a crushing 177-run win in the second one-day international against Sri Lanka at Centurion Park Friday.
Smith became the first batsman to be run out for 99 in a one-day international after he and Dippenaar (89) put on 134 for the third wicket.
With Jacques Kallis smashing a 24-ball half-century, South Africa piled up 317 for six, their highest total against Sri Lanka, after winning the toss and making first use of a good batting pitch.
Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya had hammered 46 off 32 balls to get his side off to a flying start before they crumbled to 140 all out.
Following shaky performances by the South African top order in recent matches, there were question marks about both Smith and Dippenaar, with several other candidates in contention for batting places in next year’s World Cup.
Smith, 21, needed to show he could bat through most of an innings in order to resist the challenge of veteran Gary Kirsten. His start Friday was not encouraging as he struggled to four off 19 deliveries.
He was run out for 99 off 106 balls when he played Sri Lankan skipper Sanath Jayasuriya to midwicket. Both he and Dippenaar hesitated in mid-pitch before he continued to run, failing to beat Mahela Jayawardene’s throw to Jayasuriya.
Kallis was in astonishing form as he raced to 50 off 24 balls, the second-fastest by a South African. He made 52 off 26 deliveries with six fours and two sixes.
Sri Lanka’s innings was reduced by one over to 49 because of a slow over-rate. Jayasuriya went for his shots from the start and twice square cut fast bowler Makhaya Ntini for six as Sri Lanka reached 50 in the eighth over.
South African captain Shaun Pollock broke through when Marvan Atapattu top-edged a pull to point. Then a good bowling change by Pollock proved to be Jayasuriya’s downfall.
Jayasuriya charged down the wicket to the sixth ball bowled by medium-pacer Andrew Hall and was bowled.
Scoreboard
South Africa
G. Smith run out (Jayawardene) 99
H. Gibbs b Gunaratne 16
N. Boje c Chandana b D. Fernando 28
H. Dippenaar c J’dene b Gunaratne 89
J. Kallis run out (Gunaratne) 53
M. Boucher run out (Vaas) 1
S. Pollock not out 15
J. Rhodes not out 6
Extras (lb6, nb1, w3) 10
Total (6 wkts, 50 overs) 317
Falls OF WKTS: 1-20, 2-67, 3-201, 4-289, 5-293, 6-296
Bowling: C. Vaas 10-1-48-0 (1w), P. Gunaratne 10-1-61-2, D. Fernando 9-0-66-1 (1nb, 1w), A. de Silva 5-0-26-0, S. Jayasuriya 5-0-25-0, U. Chandana 7-1-47-0, H. Fernando 4-0-38-0 (1w).
Did not bat: A. Hall, A. Donald, M. Ntini.
Sri Lanka
M. Atapattu c Rhodes b Pollock 6
S. Jayasuriya b Hall 46
K. Sangakkara c Gibbs b Donald 10
A. de Silva c and b Donald 8
M. Jayawardene c Kallis b Ntini 32
R. Arnold c Boucher b Ntini 12
C. Vaas c Boucher b Kallis 3
U. Chandana c Boucher b Ntini 6
H. Fernando st Boucher b Boje 1
D. Fernando not out 7
P. Gunaratne lbw b Boje 2
Extras (lb4, w3) 7
Total (33.2 overs) 140
Falls of wkts: 1-51, 2-59, 3-63, 4-91, 5-117, 6-124, 7-125, 8-130, 9-134
Bowling: S. Pollock 5-0-28-1, M. Ntini 10-0-38-3 (2w), A. Hall 4-0-20-1 (1w), A. Donald 6-0-27-2, J. Kallis 6-0-16-1, Boje 2.2-0-7-2.
Man-of-the-match: Jacques Kallis.—AFP