SOUTH AFRICA CONTINUE THEIR WINNING STREAK
Atame Sri Lankan batting display saw to a comfortable six-wicket win for South Africa, as the Proteas went 4-0 up in the fiveamatch
ODI series.
After all their heroics in the longest format, similar application has been lacking for the visitors in the ODI series, and they could only muster 189 in Port Elizabeth, before South Africa eased to victory with 12.1 overs remaining, led in the run chase by a Quinton de Kock half century.
Sri Lanka’s highest-batting return of the series leading into this match was their 231 in the first ODI, and from the go, the prospect of eclipsing that score appeared unlikely. Upul Tharanga (4) and Oshada Fernando (0) departed quickly, before Anrich Nortje had Avishka Fernando (29) caught at short mid-wicket. Priyamal Perera arrived at the crease on debut, only to end his stay after a ball glancing a ball down the leg-side to de Kock to leave Nortje on a hat-trick.
While Kamindu Mendis survived falling victim immediately to Nortje, he could only make nine before Nortje collected his third wicket of the innings.
Sri Lanka seemed down and out of the contest as all the South African bowlers managed to make breakthroughs.
Matters were made worse when Lasith Malinga was run-out in comical fashion by Reeza Hendricks, showing little urgency in trying to get to the nonstrikers end, with failure to ground his bat resulting in a two-ball duck.