Mathews takes Lanka to 299/8 vs SA
Angelo Mathews scored an unbeaten 97 and guided Sri Lanka to 299 for eight in the fifth and final one-day international against South Africa at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.
Opting to bat first, Sri Lanka lost their first wicket when the score was 50. Upul Tharanga (19) fell to fast bowler Junior Dala in the ninth over.
Kusal Perera (8) too couldn’t make an impact. Opener Niroshan Dickwella (43) looked in good touch before losing his wicket to Andile Phehlukwayo in the 19th over.
Mathews came in when Sri Lanka were 114 for three and shared crucial partnerships of 53 runs for the fifth wicket with Dhananjaya de Silva (30), 52 runs for the sixth wicket with Thisara Perera (13) and 44 runs for the seventh wicket with Dasun Shanaka (21).
Mathews’ run-a-ball innings included 11 boundaries and a six.
Phehlukwayo and Willem Mulder each took two wickets for the visitors.
South Africa, who have
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already won the five-match series 3-1, made two changes to the side that lost the fourth game in Pallekele last week.
They left out fast bowler Lungi Ngidi and batsman David Miller for Kasigo Rabada and Aiden Markram.
Sri Lanka fielded the same team that won its only match in the series.
South Africa are without regular captain Faf du Plessis who revealed on Friday that he is likely to be out of action for an extended period after suffering his third injury blow in less than a year.
Du Plessis returned early from the tour of Sri Lanka after injuring his right shoulder while diving in the field.
He said on arrival in Cape Town that although he would not need surgery, he would probably miss the one-day series against Zimbabwe starting on September 30 because of a long-term goal of being ready for the World Cup in England next year.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 299/8 (Mathews 97*, Mulder 2/59) vs South Africa.