Beat South Africa in D/L system:
Sri Lanka clear first hurdle
Ranjan ANANDAPPA Reporting from South Africa
Sri Lanka cleared its first hurdle in advancing towards the
semi-final stage of the ICC Champions Trophy beating host South Africa
who had a worst possible start on the Duckworth Lewis system when rain
brought the match to an abrupt halt with South Africa chasing a victory
target of 320 to win were precariously placed at 206 for 7 in 37.4 overs.
According to the D’L calculations South Africa needed to get 261 runs
in 37 overs and Sri Lanka were declared winners by 55 runs. It was a day
of records for the Islanders. Their 319 for 8 surpassed their previous
one-day total against South Africa of 308 for 8 in Colombo in 2004,
while skipper Kumar Sangakkara (54) and Dilshan’s second wicket stand of
158 eclipsed the record of 129 set in 2000 by left hander Avishka
Gunawardena and Marvan Atapattu against the Proteas. Sri Lanka outplayed
the South Africans in all departments of the game and emerged winners
and will now meet England on Friday at Wanderers in another day/night
game.
Skipper Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla began the run chase but Mathews
shattered the stumps of Amla and Smith joined by Kallis dominated the
bowling with a brief stand of 81 off 67 deliveries for the 2nd wicket.
However, with the introduction of Ajantha Mendis who has never bowled on
South African wickets before, the match took a dramatic change with
Mendis clean bowling Smith for 58. He further went on to claim the
wickets of Jacques Kallis and Duminy in successive balls and the South
African innings began to decline. Smith top scored with a valuable 58
off 44 balls with nine fours and a six.
Left hander Albie Morkel and Johan Botha gamely lifted the rate with
some lusty blows after taking the batting power play, but it was just
only a matter of time when the heavens opened.
In a post match interview Sangakkara said that they are still only
firing at 75 percent and can still improve, but the important thing is
we are winning.
The South African captain Graeme Smith said that the loss was a wake
up call for his side. We had a plan, but we just couldn’t execute it. We
are in a must win situation now when we meet New Zealand on Thursday.
Centurion Park, Wednesday
SCORECARD Sri Lanka
T. Dilshanc Morkel b Steyn 106 S. Jayasuriyalbw b Steyn 10 K. Sangakkarac and b Duminy 54 M. Jayawardenec Duminy b Parnell 77 T. Samaraweerac Van der Merwe b Parnell 37 A. Mathewsb Steyn 15 T. Kandambyc Duminy b Parnell 06 N. Kulasekararun out 01 M. Muralitharannot out 00 EXTRAS (lb5, w5, nb3) 13 TOTAL(8 wkts, 50 overs) 319
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-16 (Jayasuriya), 2-174 (Sangakkara), 3-181 (Dilshan),
4-297 (Jayawardene)5-297 (Samaraweera), 6-314 (Kandamby), 7-317 (Kulasekara),
8-319 (Mathews) BOWLING: Steyn 9-2-47-3 (1w), Parnell 10-0-79-3 (1nb, 3w), Kallis 7-0-43-0, Morkel 4-0-39-0 (1nb)
Botha 9-0-53-0 (1nb, 1w), Van der Merwe 10-0-42-0, Duminy 1-0-11-1
South Africa G. Smithb Mendis 58 H. Amlab Mathews 02 J. Kallisc Mathews b Mendis 41 AB de Villiersc Jayawardne b Malinga 24 JP Duminyb Mendis 00 M. Boucherlbw b Mathews 26 A. Morkel not out 29 J. Botha c Mathews b Malinga 21 R. Vander Merwe not out 03 EXTRAS (w2) 02 TOTAL (7wkts, 37.4 overs) 206
FALL OF WICKETS:1-9 (Amla), 2-90 (Smith), 3-113 (Kallis), 4-113 (Duminy), 5-142 (De Villiers)
6-163 (Boucher), 7-198 (Botha) BOWLING: Malinga 7.4-0-43-2 (1w), Kulasekara 7-0-44-0, Mathews 8-1-43-2,
Muralitharan 8-0-46-0, Mendis 7-0-30-3 (1w) |