Batting ”under protest”, Sri Lanka made 268 for nine in their vital Pool B World Cup match against South Africa at Kingsmead on Monday. Only once, in 15 previous day/night internationals at Kingsmead, has more than 268 been scored by the team batting second. Last year Australia made 271 for two to beat South Africa by eight wickets.
The Sri Lankans went into the game believing themselves to be the victims of an unfair interpretation of the World Cup regulations by the International Cricket Council’s technical committee which has decreed that should Sri Lanka lose, and finish level on 16 points with New Zealand who beat Canada on Monday, then the decision as to who progresses to the Super Six stage of the tournament will be decided on nett run rate.
Shortly before the start of play, the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka issued a statement in which it states that: ”The alleged ‘clarification’ (of the tournament regulations by the technical committee) is particular disadvantageous to the Sri Lanka team and is indeed unfair and we feel that it is an attempt to keep the Sri Lanka team away from the Super Six stage.”
The statement went on to say that: ”Our team will thus take the field today under protest .”
Whatever the merits of the Sri Lankan board’s arguments, on the field the Sri Lankan team were given wonderful encouragement by Marvan Atapattu whose stylish 124 enabled his side to post a challenging total. Atapattu give an early indication of his intentions in the third over of the innings when he got on the front foot to drive South African captain Shaun Pollock three times to the boundary, once straight and twice through the covers. Having set out his stall, he proceeded to play with calm assurance against a South African attack that once again lacked penetration.
The South Africans, who need to win to qualify for the Super Sixes, gambled by choosing an all-seam attack which omitted veteran fast bowler Allan Donald. Monde Zondeki, the 20-year-old from Border, was preferred to Donald who has bowled poorly in this World Cup, but if the selectors felt Zondeki would make a difference to the South African bowling, they must have been disappointed.
Zondeki’s first two balls in the innings were crashed away past point for four by Atapattu and he was to bowl only six overs in the innings for 35 before succumbing to what appeared to be cramp.
The South Africans had some early successes when Sanath Jayasuriya was run out for 16 and Hashan Tillekaratne (14) and Mahela Jayawardene (1) were both caught at the wicket to have Sri Lankan 90 for three, but Aravinda de Silva combined with Atapattu in a fourth wicket partnership of 152. Atapattu was the senior partner until he holed out to long-on after hitting 15 boundaries off the 128 deliveries he faced.
Two balls later De Silva also managed to get himself out, chipping Makhaya Ntini to midwicket, but he had made 73 off 78 balls with two magnificent sixes and six fours.
The departures of Atapattu and De Silva left Sri Lanka 243 for five with five overs remaining, but the tail failed to wag to any great purpose and only a further 25 were added as five wickets fell.