Proteas clinch first-ever ODI series win in Lanka

By Sajeewa Jayakody

Hambantota, July 12.- South Africa clinched the first ever One Day International series win on Sri Lankan soil with a huge 83-run win against Sri Lanka in the third and final Royal Stage series, at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Hambantota today.

The tourists posted a daunting 340-run target with brilliant batting by skipper AB de Villiers and opener Quinton de Kock, who made two blistering centuries.

Setting many records after they won the toss to bat on a good deck, the Proteas grabbed this series, the first win in 21-years since they started touring Sri Lanka from 1993.

The South Africans, who have won only two ODIs in 16 games before the series, dismissed the home team for 257 in 44.3 overs in extremely windy conditions. With this historic 2-1 series achievement, the South Africans climbed from fourth place to second in the ICC ODI Rankings ladder.

Their record breaking 339, came from two magnificent centuries by opener Quinton de Kock (128 from 127 balls) and skipper AB de Villiers (108 off 71 balls), who toyed with the Lankan bowlers. It marked a break for the ‘modern day white ball champions’ Sri Lanka’s glorious series winning momentum, which they had maintained during the past six months.

The Asia Cup winners and World Twenty20 winners had clinched all four ODI series they had played before this defeat at home.

The 339-run total was South Africa’s highest in the subcontinent. The previous best was 311 also against Sri Lanka at Lahore in 1997. The Proteas set a record in Hambantota, making the highest total of 339, erasing the previous best of 332-7, by Sri Lanka against Kenya in the 2011 World Cup.

Chasing a 340-run target, Kusal Perera’s got off to a blazing start (37 from 25 balls) before Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan steered Sri Lanka to 99-1 with blistering batting in the first power play to help reach 100 in 61 balls. But the Lankans started reeling after Dilshan was victim to a disastrous run-out, the first in the series, as both batsmen were trapped at the same end.

Sri Lanka slumped to 113-4 as Sangakkara, who was involved in Dilshan’s run-out, was caught behind, off a probable leg-side wide-ball, in the same he departed at Pallekele.

The experienced Mahela Jayawardene followed, giving an easy catch to deep-fine-leg off Imran Tahir, leaving Sri Lanka in a ‘world of trouble'.

Vice captain LahiruThirimanne, who did not contribute much in the series, was given out for a caught behind before the decision was overturned by the third umpire. But the left-hander was bowled by JP Duminy a few balls later.

Following which Angelo Mathews and Ashan Priyanjan put on an invaluable 83-run partnership for the sixth wicket before Priyanjan edged a McLaren’s ball to the wicket-keeper.

Captain Mathews reached his 20th half century just after floodlights were switched on at 5.34 pm and he went onto hit a six over mid-wicket. Sri Lanka needed 92 runs more in 51 balls when Mathews was caught off McLaren at leg gully, shattering Lanka’s hope of winning the game. As usual the Lankans lost the last five wickets for 23 runs. It was a repetition of what happened in the first ODI in Colombo and they lost the last five wickets cheaply for 11 runs in Pallekele.

The tourists laid a solid opening stand of 118 in 129 balls. Sri Lankan think-tanks omitted Nuwan Kulasekara who had captured four for 34 in five overs in his last appearance in the windy conditions in Hambantota against New Zealand in November last year. But replaced Rangana Herath, made two breakthroughs sedating the South Africans , who scored only 17 runs between the 21st and 26th overs.

Quinton de Kock, who does not have a single half century under his belt in his 19-ODI career, timed the ball nicely to reach his fifth century in 108 balls. The hosts started bowling with spin from the second over with Sachithra Senanayake. That was for the first time in 23 ODIs after Sri Lanka had started bowling with Dilshana against New Zealand in Dambulla last year.

Quinton de Kock was let off when he was on 38 by Ashan Priyanjan at point, a gettable catch after the left-hander hoisted the first six of the innings in the previous ball off Senanayake. South Africa reached the target in 107 balls with Amla’s lofted on-drive for four off Malinga.

Amla, who has been in fine form, was holed out at long off after attempting to place the ball between the vacant cover area. Kumar Sangakkara missed de Kock’s stumping chance when the left hander was on 72 off Herath.

Herath removed out of form Jacques Kallis trapping him for an lbw. It was the worst three-match ODI series of 'great' Kallis, during his 19-year-old career, having scored only five runs. Sachithra Senanayake completed his 10 overs for 66 runs, the worst figures during his 36-match career.

The 200 came up for SA by skipper’s cracking boundary off Malinga's full toss in the 36th over.

The visitors accumulated 46 runs during the 31st to 36th over. The skipper crossed the 50-run mark with a mid-wicket four in his41st ball with five boundaries and a six. The pair of De Villiers and De Kock’s 100-run partnership for the third wicket came in 83 balls. SA lost De Kock for 128, which is the highest ODI innings by a South African against Sri Lanka. The left hander attempted to place the ball through mid-off and cover against the wind and was caught at mid-off. South Africa passed the 250-run mark in the 41st over aggregating 52 runs in the last batting power play, losing only de Kock, who got his fourth hundred in his last six innings. The Proteas wicket-keeper became the first batsman to take the most number of hundreds (five) at the age of 21.

Coolest player of the Series: Quinton de Kock

Stylish player of the Series: Ryan McLaren.

Player of Series and the Trusted Player of Series: Hashim Amla