3RD ODI AT HAMBANTOTA Proteas gag the Lankans to take series decider

The South Africans had the satisfaction of scoring a rare series win against Sri Lanka, when they completed a comprehensive 82 run win in their third and final One Day International at the Hambantota International Cricket Stadium, yesterday.

The main architects of the Proteas were the centurions Quinton de Kock (128) and skipper A.B. de Villiers (108) along with their two spinners Imran Thahir and J.P. Duminy who gagged the Lankan batting in style when it really mattered.

In reply to the massive South African total of 339 for 5, the Lankans were all out for 257 in 44.3 overs.

Lankans in their turn, mindful of the massive task at hand, just exploded. They brought up their first fifty runs scoring at a rate of ten runs per over. The main aggressor was left handed Kusal Perera who treated the respected Dale Steyn like trundler in the park.

The fourth South African over bowled by Steyn cost the visitors seventeen runs with Perera scoring sixteen of them.

Yet, like all Perera innings, the rain of runs ended with the introduction of leftarmer Wayne Parnell. Perera looking to loft over mid-on managed to hit the ball right into the hands of waiting de Villiers for 37 made up in twenty five balls with four fours and two sixes. Sri Lanka 52 for 1.

Fifty runs later the surviving opener T.M. Dilshan provided the South Africans with what they were searching for. He was run out for 30 after a huge mix-up with Sangakkara while the Lankan batting was right on top.

However it became a double tragedy, when McLaren picked up the wicket of Sangakkara a few balls later for 36 – caught behind by de Kock. At 113 for 3 Sri Lanka had lost the plot.

Lankan wickets fall then became a procession. Veteran Mahela Jayawardena was out at square-leg for 2 off Thahir, now proving to be the better spinner of the two sides so far in the series.

With the departure of the three batting veterans – Dilshan, Sangakkara and Jayawardena the weight of winning the match transferred on to the shoulders of the younger players.

Lahiru Thirimanne and skipper Angelo Mathews started cautiously. The early Lankan run rate which was going at nine per over helped them somewhat to keep on track.

Thirimanne on twelve, managed to turn a caught behind decision by local umpire Ranmore Martinesz in his favour off the bowling of off spinner J.P. Duminy. Yet, he could not capitalize on the reprieve. He was bowled by Duminy for 22 plunging the Lankans into further trouble. After the departure of Thirimanne, Ashan Priyanjan joining his captain Mathews held the inning together, but now with every dot ball the scoring rate was skyrocketing.

This pair put on 83 runs for the sixth wicket before Priyanjan was caught behind by de Kock off McLaren for 30 – dashing any hopes of an unlikely Lankan series win. Lankans slid to 239 for 6 in the 40th over, with the tail tagged along with skipper Angelo Mathews.

McLaren was in the act once again. This time he had Mathews who was waging a lone battle to see the end of the Lankan inning. Mathews hit 58 in 81 balls with five fours and a six.

Earlier South Africa won the toss and elected to bat on a brown placid wicket, though slow and low promised loads of runs. Living upto their promise the Proteas openers Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock came up with a century opening stand until the last minute inclusion into the playing XI – Rangana Herath had Amla caught in the deep cover two runs short of a half century.

Veteran Jacques Kallis’ tale of woes continued. He didn’t last long and became Herath’s second victim after making only four runs. Suddenly the Lankans were back in the game with the African score at 133 for 2, at which point Herath’s figures read 3-0-9-2.

At the other end twenty three-year-old de Kock was batting brilliantly being a bit harsh on Malinga, who bowled him out in the second game cheaply. While in his early forties de Kock enjoyed the luxury of being dropped by blue eyed Lankan Ashan Priyanjan off Senanayake in the tenth over. The price of the scalp was too high and de Kock eased into his first hundred of the tour and then proceeded to his second century stand with skipper A. B. de Villiers.

De Kock was the third out – caught at mid-on by Ajantha Mendis off Senanayake for 128, with the wicket falling at 248 in the 41st over. De Kock in his 127 ball stay at the wicket hit twelve fours and three sixes.

Then it became the turn of skipper de Villiers to score his century. On completion of which he already had formed his second century stand of the match – this time with J. P. Duminy.

Incidentally in the last five consecutive outings of the Lankans, beginning with the Test series in England, Lankan bowlers have suffered the ignominy of batsmen scoring centuries against their bowlers. In the first and the second Tests against England there were two centuries – one in each in both innings and two Amla Centuries in the first two ODIs and the two scored by de Kock and de Villiers in this game.

Man-of-the-match de Villiers was out in the 49th over when the charge was on with the total reading a healthy 328 for 4. Villiers made 108. He was caught in the deep by Ashan Priyanjan off Mendis with his effort coming in just 71 balls with eleven fours and four sixes. In the next ball Mendis caught and bowled Duminy for 29.

The visitors ended their inning at 339 for 5 – thus the highest total at this Southern venue so far. The last ten overs cost the Lankans a massive 95 runs. Malinga ended his ten overs with figures of 0 for 85 in ten overs.