Kumar Sangakkara and Jehan Mubarak made half-centuries as Sri Lanka reached 282 for six, punishing South Africa’s decision to bowl first in their tri-series limited-overs cricket match on Tuesday.
South African captain Graeme Smith sought to replicate the formula that gave his team a five-wicket win over Australia on Sunday. He put Sri Lanka in on winning the toss, offering his bowlers use of a pitch that seemed to hold both pace and bounce.
Smith quickly regretted the decision as Sangakkara made 88 and Mubarak 61 and as the South Africa bowlers laboured on a wicket that was less lively than he had expected.
Sri Lanka lost the early wicket of Upul Tharanga (16) at 33, but Sangakkara and Mubarak combined in a 112-run second-wicket partnership that stiffened the innings and gave the early advantage to the batting side.
They established a rapid and steady run rate, leading Sri Lanka past 50 in the eighth over and 100 in the 16th, and were still scoring at six runs per over when Mubarak was trapped lbw by Johan Botha in the 24th over.
Mubarak faced 69 balls in a confident innings, including nine fours in his second half-century in one-day internationals.
Sangakkara approached his best form when he took his 88 runs from 109 balls, peppering the boundary with 20 fours. His stroke play was lavish and inventive and his boundaries came on all sides of the wicket.
Mubarak played some outstanding square drives and cuts, but Sangakkara was willing to hit down the ground, through midwicket and over the slip cordon to keep the Sri Lankan total moving at a steady rate.
He shared short partnerships with Tillakaratne Dilshan (15) and Marvan Atappatu (33) and when he was out, in the 39th over when Sri Lanka was 211-4, the innings lost some of its momentum.
Johan Botha, who stepped into a starting role after playing as super sub against Australia, slowed the scoring with accurate bowling through the middle of the innings. Shaun Pollock returned to bowl an outstanding second spell that also put the brakes on the Sri Lankan run rate.
Botha took two wickets for 49 from his 10 overs and Pollock one for 39. — Sapa-AP