Sri Lanka chase down 314 in nail-biter

Monday, 23 January 2012 00:32 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka on Sunday won a second straight ODI against South Africa, beating hosts South Africa by two wickets with one ball remaining in Paarl.

Despite the thrilling victory, however, South Africa had already wrapped the series, which finishes 3-2 after five encounters.

It looked as if a determined century from Graeme Smith (125) and a free-flowing one from captain AB de Villiers (125 not out) had given South Africa enough runs to defend.

But after a bright start from Upul Tharanga (46) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (41), Kumar Sangakkara came to the fore with an excellent 102 to steer the chase, and despite him exiting with 39 runs still required, Sri Lanka reached the total. Debutant Sachithra Senanayake hit the penultimate ball for six to seal the victory - his first scoring shot in international cricket - as a disappointing tour for the visitors ended on a brighter note.

Score board

South Africa

G. Smith c Chandimal b Malinga   125

A. Petersen c Mathew b Malinga   6

F. du Plessis c Mathews b Senanayake   24

AB de Villiers not out   125

A. Morkel run out (Dilshan/Perera)   18

JP Duminy not out   5

Extras (2lb, 7w)   9

Total (4 wkts, 50 overs)   312

Did not bat: C. Ingram, W. Parnell, R. Peterson, M. Morkel, L. Tsotsobe

Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Petersen), 2-70 (Du Plessis), 3-256 (Smith), 4-269 (Morkel)

Bowling: Kulasekara 10-1-46-0, Malinga 10-0-79-2 (1w), Mathews 3-1-16-0 (2w), Perera 7-0-64-0 (2w), Senanayake 9-0-50-1, Dilshan 2-0-12-0, Herath 9-0-43-0 (1w)

Sri Lanka

U. Tharanga c Duminy b Tsotsobe   46

T. Dilshan c De Villiers b Tsotsobe   41

K. Sangakkara c Peterson b Duminy   102

D. Chandimal c De Villiers b Parnell   20

L. Thirimanne c A. Morkel b Peterson   69

A. Mathews c Peterson b Parnell   6

T. Perera c Du Plessis b Duminy   2

N. Kulasekara b Peterson   0

R. Herath not out   1

S. Senanayake not out   6

Extras (12lb, 8w, 1nb)   21

Total (8 wkts, 49.5 overs)   314

Did not bat: L. Malinga

Fall of wickets: 1-72 (Tharanga), 2-119 (Dilshan), 3-175 (Chandimal), 4-275 (Sangakkara), 5-294 (Mathews), 6-307 (Perera), 7-307 (Kulasekara), 8-308 (Thirimanne)

Bowling: M. Morkel 9.1-0-49-0 (2w), Tsotsobe 7-0-54-2 (2w), Duminy 6.5-0-44-2, Parnell 10-0-51-2 (2w), A. Morkel 10-0-66-0 (1nb, 2w), Peterson 6.5-0-38-2

Result: Sri Lanka win by two wickets