Dilshan, Sangakkara set up big win for Sri Lanka against South Africa

Tillakaratne Dilshan

A brilliant century from Dilshan took Sri Lanka to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over South Africa. Sri Lanka spinners exploited the wicket to perfection and claimed five wickets to restrict South Africa to 238 runs.

After bundling South Africa for 238, Sri Lanka lost the wicket of Jayawardene in the ninth over for 12. However, Dilshan and Sangakkara steadied the ship and took Sri Lanka to a comprehensive win in the fourth ODI.

With this win, Sri Lanka win the ODI series 3-1.

After winning the toss on a slow pitch, South Africa elected to bat first. South Africa started the innings confidently as de Kock struck a beautiful four off Mathews through the midwicket region. He soon brought up another boundary off Mathews in the same over when he drove him through mid-on region.

Hashim Amla also came to the party as he brought up the third boundary of the South African innings when he cut a shorter one off Malinga through the point region.

However, when de Kock looked in good touch, he was dismissed by Malinga for 8. It was a quicker delivery from Malinga, and de Kock played across the line, didn’t get the bat down at the right time and the ball hit the base off the middle stump.

JP Duminy was promoted up the order to steady the innings. Although South Africa lost an early wicket, Hashim Amla did not keep silent as he kept scoring at a brisk-rate. He smashed Malinga for 12 runs in the fifth over to up the ante. Duminy soon got into the act as he struck two glorious boundaries off Mathews in the sixth over to put the pressure back on Sri Lanka.

Angelo Mathews reacted to the situation as he kept Lasith Malinga out of the attack and brought Mendis into the attack. However, he too was expensive in his first spell as Amla and Duminy looked in sublime form. Hashim Amla scored a brilliant half-century and shared a constructive partnership of 101 runs with Duminy for the second wicket.

Dilshan, however, provided the breakthrough in the 23^rd over as he got rid of the dangerous Amla for 77. Dilshan bowled round the wicket, the ball kept low and Amla was trapped on the backfoot. AB de Villers was the new man to the crease and he would have hoped for a better performance with the bat as he was dismissed for only four.

Kumara Sangakkara

Faf du Plessis and Duminy stabilized the innings after the Proteas lost two quick wickets. However, they didn’t rotate the strike well and slowed the things down for South Africa. The pitch was offering some assistance for the spinners and thus the duo found it somewhat difficult to score at a brisk-rate.

The duo put on 45 runs for the fourth wicket in 10 overs, which meant Amla’s hard work proved pointless. Herath finally got rid of Faf du Plessis for 23, as the latter was deceived by the turn. Mendis then grabbed the wicket of the dangerous David Miller for 1, to leave South Africa on the brink at 173/5.

After the departure of David Miller, South Africa kept losing wickets regularly and none of the lower order batsmen bothered to stay at the wicket and bat sensibly. Duminy could not take the risks as the wickets were tumbling at the other end, but he stuck with Morkel and added 33 runs for the last wicket. Mendis then got rid of Duminy for 97, to bundle out South Africa for 238 runs. It was a competitive total as the wicket was on the slower-side. Sri Lankan spinners relished bowling at this wicket and it would be a tough chase for them.

Sri Lanka desperately needed a good innings from Mahela Jayewardene as he has the ability to convert the start into a meaningful innings. Dilshan started the chase confidently as he clobbered a length ball from Tsotsobe through midwicket region for a glorious four. Morkel and Tsotsobe soon tightened the screws as they were hitting the deck consistently.

Dilshan, however, brought up the second boundary of the innings when he cut a length ball off Morkel through the backward point for four. The duo subsequently picked up the tempo and attacked the Proteas fast bowlers.

However, when Jayewardene looked in good rhythm, he was dismissed by Tsotsobe for 12. It was a great delivery from Tsotsobe as it angled across him and Jayewardene tried to run it square off the wicket, but Amla held onto a sharp catch at gully.

After the wicket of Jayewardene, Sangakkara and Dilshan combined to produce master-class as the duo batted beautifully and did not do more than what was required at that stage. They were struggling initially as the ball was gripping off the surface. But when AB de Villers brought his pace bowlers in the middle period of the innings and they started scoring at a brisk rate.

AB de Villers had two spinners – Peterson and Duminy. Peterson was getting the ball to grip off the surface, but after him Duminy was unable to get the turn and hence he was also taken for runs without any problems by the Sri Lankan batsmen.

South Africa fast bowlers did not exploit the wicket to perfection as they didn’t vary their pace constantly which ultimately made life easier for Dilshan and Sangakkara. You need to vary your pace constantly especially on a slow pitch, but none of the South Africa fast bowlers varied their pace.

However, Sangakkara was dismissed for 91 by Morkel. Dilshan and Thirimanne stayed till the end and took Sri Lanka to a comfortable victory in the fourth ODI. With this defeat, South Africa lost the ODI series and they will have to come out with an effective strategy if they are to pose a threat in the T20 series.