U-19 Cricket: South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 39 runs in Triangular

Sri Lanka Under-19s failed to overcome the African jinx that is plagued even to their senior side, as they crashed to a 39-run loss against South Africa Under-19s in the ongoing Tri-Nation Under-19s Tournament. 

Despite beating the third team of the competition, Zimbabwe, twice, the Lankan youth succumbed to their second straight defeat against the host nation in the sixth match of the tournament played at Paarl today (21). 

Chasing a winning target of 261 runs, Sri Lanka Under-19s fell short by 39 runs with 55 deliveries to spare in their innings. 

Skipper Avishka Fernando played an enterprising knock, hammering 96 off 62 deliveries hitting 14 fours and four sixes while sharing 59 runs with his opening partner Vishwa Chathuranga for the first wicket. 

Chathuranga faced 24 deliveries to muster 21 as Sri Lanka lost two wickets in quick sessions. 

Fernando found a perfect partner in Kamindu Mendis, who hit a run-a-ball 42 inclusive of five boundaries as both paired up to add 98 runs for the third wicket. 

Soon after Fernando's wicket fell at 157 the Lankan youth side started to downfall. 

Akhona Mnyaka and Ruan de Swardt claimed three wickets each while Mitchell Van Buuren and Jade de Klerk picked a couple of scalps each. 

Earlier electing to bat, South Africa U-19s build up their innings mainly on the brilliant knock of Muhammed Mayet, who hit 102 runs off 93 deliveries. 

Man-of-the-match Mayet hit 14 fours and a six to help his side post 260 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their allotted 50 overs. 

Left-arm fast bowler Nipun Ransika claimed three wickets while left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama claimed two scalps. 

Ashen Bandara, Rashmika Dilshan and Kamindu Mendis accounted for a wicket each. 

Sri Lanka will take on Zimbabwe for the third time in the tournament on Tuesday (24) atStellenbosch before meeting South Africa again come Thursday (26) at Paarl. 

The final will be played next Saturday (28) at Paarl.

South Africa U-19s 260 for 8 wickets (50) (Jesse Christensen 30, Raynard van Tonder 28, Mitchell Van Buuren 35, Muhammed Mayet 102, Ruan de Swardt 22, Kenan Smith 29, Nipun Ransika 3/31, Praveen Jayawickrama 2/42)

Sri Lanka U-19s 221 all out (41.5) (Vishwa Chathuranga 21, Avishka Fernando 96, Kamindu Mendis 42, Akhona Mnyaka 3/43, Ruan de Swardt 3/45, Mitchell Van Buuren 2/11, Jade de Klerk 2/39)