MONDAY, 12.45PM:
SOUTH Africa, firing on all cylinders, made a meal of the Sri Lankan batting to beat the tourists by 57 runs in a triangular series match at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday.
South African skipper Hansie Cronje won the toss and elected to bat, sending in Mike Rindel and Gary Kirsten to get the Proteas off to a solid start.
Rindel showed good form and he and Kirsten chalked up 67 for the first wicket before Kirsten was bowled by off-spinner Aravinda de Silva, with his score on 29.
Lance Klusener again provided South Africa with a quick fire 26 before also being bowled by de Silva. Although none of the South Africans made really big scores, the highest was 59 by Rindel, they still managed to score 266/8 in their alotted 50 overs.
Jonty Rhodes again proved to be invaluable to the one-day squad, following up his unbeaten 94 against Pakistan with another 43 unbeaten runs. Rhodes came in when the South Africans were struggling at 172/6, and immediately set about the bowling, conjuring up an extra 94 runs through sensible batting and mature partnerships.
At the Wanderers, 266 was always going to be a hard target, even for the likes of Sanath Jayasuriya and big fish De Silva, but without Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald the South African bowling attack looked somewhat depleted against the world champions.
Roger Telemachus and Steve Elworthy allayed the fears in spectacular fashion, pegging back the Lankans and, in the case of Telemachus, picking up four wickets and the man of the match award.
Both seamers were ably assisted by Cronje and Derek Crookes, who both got two scalps. Lance Klusener, getting better with every outing, bowled very well.
The South Africans were in control from the outset of the Sri Lankans’ innings, with only Sanath Jayasuriya putting up some resistance with a beautifully played 68. He did offer two chances, but both were fluffed by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher. He was eventually caught by Crookes off the bowling of Cronje.
Having won both matches they have played, the South Africans can sit back and relax for a couple of days. All they need to do now is secure one more win to earn a place in the final.
Scoreboard in the Standard Bank International Series cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka at the Wanderers on Sunday:
South Africa innings
M Rindel st Kaluwitharan b Muralidharan 59 (94m 66b 6×4)
G Kirsten b A de Silva 29 (55m 41b 3×4)
L Klusener b A de Silva 26 (33m 31b 2×4)
D Cullinan b Chandana 24 (40m 31b 1×4)
H Cronje c A de Silva b Chandana 22 (26m 20b 2×6)
J Kallis c Vaas b Chandana 5 (15m 12b)
J Rhodes not out 43 (67m 51b 2×4)
D Crookes c Wickramasinghe b Dharmasena 26 (30m 26b 1×4 1×6)
M Boucher b Jayasuriya 6 (15m 10b)
S Elworthy not out 14 (13m 12b 2×4)
Extras (11lb 1w) 12
Total (for 8 wkts) 266 — 50 overs (199 mins)
Fall of wickets: 1/67 2/117 3/121 4/160 5/169 6/172 7/218 8/243
Bowling: Vaas 7-0-33-0, Wickramasinghe 6-0-32-0, Dharmasena 6-0-37-1, A de Silva 6-0-26-2, Muraldiharan 10-0-39-1, Chandana 10-1-48-3, Jayasuriya 5-0-40-1 (1w).
Sri Lanka innings
S Jayasuriya c Crookes b Cronje 68 (122m 83b 6×4 1×6)
M Atapattu c Rhodes b Telemachus 4 (17m 17b)
R Mahanama c Kirsten b Elworthy 11 (31m 19b 1×4)
A de Silva c Rindel b Cronje 28 (64m 46b 3×4)
R Kaluwitharana c Boucher b Telemachus 19 (33m 22b 2×4)
A Rantunga c Boucher b Crookes 0 (3m 4b)
K Dharmasena c Rindel b Crookes 21 (31m 30b 1×4)
U Chandana c Klusener b Elworthy 26 (50m 37b 1×4)
C Vaas b Telemachus 8 (10m 11b 1×4)
P Wickramasinghe b Telemachus 0 (1m 1b)
M Muralitharan not out 13 (19m 11b 1×4)
Extras (3b 3lb 3w 2nb) 11
Total 209 — 46,3 overs 199 minutes
Fall of wickets: 1/12 2/51 3/116 4/127 5/127 6/151 7/169 8/182 9/182
Bowling: Elworthy 8,3-1-34-2 (2nb), Telemachus 10-0-43-4 (1w), Cronje 9-0-43-2, Klusener 9-0-46-0 (2w), Crookes 10-1-37-2
Man of the match: Roger Telemachus (SA)
Result: South Africa win by 57 runs.
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