Lankans slide to 32 run defeat
Where it all began …….Sri Lankan opener T.M. Dilshan is run out for a duck without facing a ball in the very first over of the Sri Lankan inning in their match against South Africa at Hambantota which the hosts lost by 32 runs. (pic Shantha Ratnayake)
South Africa prevailed in the last Group C match against Sri Lanka by 32 runs in a rain shorten seven over match against Sri Lanka played at the Sooriyawewa Stadium yesterday.It was disappointing for the vast crowd for what could be biggest crowd ever to throng the Sooriyawewa Stadium to witness a international cricket match and also the biggest to be seen so far in the fourth edition of the ICC World Twenty20 cricket tournament since it began on September 18. They could not witness a full match of 20 overs between Sri Lanka and South Africa which was reduced to seven overs due to heavy rain which lasted for nearly three hours.
The two teams had nothing to lose as they had already qualified to the Super Eight stage having recorded crushing wins over Zimbabwe. The match reduced to seven overs with a bowler being able bowl two overs and with two overs of power-play. The two teams made two changes with Rangana Herath coming in place of Ajantha Mendis for Sri Lanka and Faf du Plessis replacing Robin Peterson in the South Africa line up.
South Africa invited to bat first by Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardena lost their first wicket in the fourth ball of the first over that of Richard Levi who was deceived by a slower ball by Nuwan Kulasekera which he swept to the leg side that ended in Dilshan Munaweera taking a superb catch at mid on. Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis added 23 runs for the second wicket before being separated.
Skipper AB de Villiers joining du Plessis entertained the massive crowd with the pair going on the rampage as they added a brisk 38 runs in just 18 balls with de Villiers in particular, contributing 30 of those which came off just 13 balls comprising a boundary and two sixes. The Proteas scoring at just under 11 runs an over before completing their seven overs with a score of 78 for 4.
It was visible that Sri Lanka in their run chase of 79 runs were going to be no where near the target as the dismissal of T.M. Dilshan without facing a ball in the fourth ball of the first over almost hit the nail in the coffin and another wicket lost in the second over with just eight runs on the board made things worse. The only useful partnership came from Dilshan Munaweera and Kumar Sangakkara who together added 22 runs for the third wicket before they were bogged down by pacies Dale Steyn who finished with two wickets, Jacques Kallis and Albie Morkel as they were restricted to a score of 46.South Africa
Follow @timesonlinelk
Related Posts:
Skipper Dilshan guides Basnahira Cricket DundeesMohammad Shahzad who made 48 drives.
Sri Lankan ‘A’ bowlers restrain South Africa ‘A’Dimuth Karunaratne – a brave knock of 83
Munaweera breaks into the international fold[caption id="attachment_12829" align="alignright" width="350" caption="New kid on the line Dilshan Munaweera is expected to do some brisk work at the ...