Proteas deliver a 10 out of 10 performance
A CALAMITOUS batting display by the home side against craftier captaincy from Keshav Maharaj saw the Proteas stretch their winning streak in T20 Internationals to seven matches with a 10-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo yesterday.
Again spin dominated for the tourists, with all three front-line spinners bowling their full quota, while Aiden Markram’s part-time off-spin got through two overs in which he picked up one wicket as South Africa restricted the hosts to 120/8 in their 20 overs, and knocked off the runs without losing a wicket.
Kagiso Rabada accounted for Avishka Fernando and Bhanuka Rajapaksa.
The Proteas spinners again kept a rein on the home team’s batsmen, leading to some awful errors.
Dhananjaya de Silva walked passed a straight ball from Bjorn Fortuin and was stumped, Kamindu Mendis drove Markram to Maharaj, Wanindu Hasaranga did the same, giving Fortuin his second wicket.
The most comical dismissal of the whole innings saw Lahiru Madushanka hit the ball straight to Rassie van der Dussen, take off for a run and get sent back by his batting partner Chamika Karunaratne.
Before he could turn around, Quinton de Kock had removed a bail with Madushanka 10 metres short of his ground. Karunaratne struck some mighty blows in the last two overs, but Sri Lanka were once again woefully short of setting the Proteas a competitive target.
Maharaj picked up 1/14, and once more Fortuin delivered a spell that shows there is no need for concern ahead of the World Cup.
Fortuin finished the series as the top wicket-taker with five. Openers De Kock and Reeza Hendricks again had a pressure-free start to the run-chase.
De Kock was efficient in making 59 and ending as the top run-scorer in the series with 153 runs.
Hendricks notched up his seventh T20 International half-century with 56 not out.