SA leave Sri Lanka on a record low
The South Africans did not jet out of Colombo on Tuesday. But given the kind of batting they offered in the last match of their visit to the Asian island, they would have been better off taking a flight home before the first ball was bowled at the R Premadasa Stadium.
That the Lankans won by only three wickets, with four overs to spare, is a compliment to the visitors’ bowlers, who never gave up what was always a hopeless fight.
It is difficult to bat, bowl or field properly when both of your feet are on a plane, never mind when you have already fastened your seat belt, lined up the movies you are going to watch and are trying to decide between chicken or beef.
In SA’s defence, a damn-fool T20 gratuitously tacked onto the end of five weeks of Tests and one-day internationals is no way to end a tour.
So if anyone is to blame for what happened at the R Premadasa Stadium, it is the suits.
SA were dismissed for 98, only the eighth time in their 104 games in the format that they have been bowled out and the first time in double figures.
That is right – they have a new record low score.
And while there were glimpses of a miracle in the making in the Lankans’ reply – Kagiso Rabada’s inspired first over that brought the wickets of Kusals Perera and Mendis, Heinrich Klaasen’s brilliant catch at short leg to remove Angelo Mathews, and Tabraiz Shamsi’s targeted aggression for his career-best 2/26 – the result was never in serious doubt.
Yes, Sri Lanka were 63/4, 83/6 and 88/7, but they would not have been quite so gung ho about their chase had SA put up a decent target.
Dinesh Chandimal, who was banned for both Tests and four of the five ODIs for contravening the code of conduct in the Caribbean in June, celebrated his return with an unbeaten 36 – the difference between the teams on the night.
Among the South Africans, only Quinton de Kock reached 20 in a shambolic innings that was blighted by four ducks amid five single-figure efforts.
The last seven wickets crashed for 41 runs in 53 balls.