Mathews mauls the Proteas

• Skipper steers Sri Lanka to win as Sandakan has SA batsmen in a spin

Injured captain Angelo Mathews hit two sixes in the last over to hand Sri Lanka a series-levelling three-wicket win in the second Twenty20 international against SA on Sunday.

Earlier spinner Lakshan Sandakan tied the Proteas in knots claiming 4/23 in his four overs as Farhaan Behardien’s charges managed a paltry 113 in 19.3 overs.

The chase should not have been as close as it was but Mathews’s calming influence ensured the butterflies in the Sri Lankan dressingroom were put to rest.

Lungi Ngidi’s fine four-over spell when he took 4/19 threatened to derail’s Sri Lanka’s attempt for their first win of the tour.

The wounded captain shored up the innings with a well paced and sturdy 50-ball 54 that hoisted the visitors over the line with two balls remaining.

He survived a tough chance off JJ Smut’s first ball of the last over when on 42, but shrugged off the hamstring injury he suffered in the previous over by lashing two sixes to win the game.

While Sri Lanka bowled well, their batting was bereft of confidence and their heavy weather chase gave SA an undeserved lifeline.

Cameos from Niroshan Dickwella (22) and Dinesh Chandimal (22) kept Sri Lanka’s heads above water while the other floundered against Ngidi’s pace and Imran Tahir’s wiles (1/14).

When Sandakan removed Mangaliso Mosehle (11) with the first ball after the powerplay, SA were already 41/3 after JJ Smuts (4) and Theunis de Bruyn were foxed by Nuwan Kulasekara and Isuru Udana’s slower balls.

That should have been the alarm for the Proteas, who batted first on a straw-coloured surface that seemed to have a subcontinental behaviour.

It was as Galle or Colombo as it could get for Mathews’s tourists, who clearly relished the conditions and Behardien’s decision to bat first.

While Mosehle could have left Sandakan’s first delivery instead of guiding it into Dinesh Chandimal’s gloves, the fact that SA needed 33 balls to hit their first six highlighted how tough proceedings were going to be.

Only 42 runs (9x4, 1x6) came in boundaries for SA, such was the excellence and the control of the Sri Lankan bowlers.

Sandakan was aided by the miserly Isuru Udana who collected 3/13 in 2.3 overs. These were inspired changes in a desperate situation by Mathews, with senior pacemen Nuwan Pradeep and Suranga Lakmal getting well-earned rests.

Only Heino Kuhn (29) and Behardien (20) breached the 20-run mark and looked like they had a serviceable plan against the accuracy of the bowling attack.

It was a smart piece of glove work from Chandimal that put paid to Kuhn off Sandakan in the ninth over while Behardien feathered behind off Udana while trying to run-rate.

David Miller (11), Wayne Parnell (3), Andile Phehlukwayo (0) had their feet tied in knots by the spin while Aaron Phangiso (13) provided some spirited tail-end resistance.

However, the win came at a cost for Sri Lanka. lift the

Mathews said at the aftermatch presentation that he could miss the rest of the tour after twisting his right ankle when he dived to avoid being run out in the penultimate over.

“It’s pretty bad, I think I will be out for a couple of weeks.”

On his two sixes to win the match, Mathews said: “I had to hit sixes because I couldn’t run.”

Proteas captain Behardien said: “On a deck that was a little bit slow, Sri Lanka kept taking wickets and we couldn’t launch at the end.

“We were put under pressure today. But the guys really fought hard and I’m proud of them.” /