Image courtesy of: srilankacricket.lk

Sri Lanka sealed the series behind Dilshan and Sangakkara’s awe-inspiring knocks

Sri Lanka batting duo Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara helped the Lankan Lions to an eight-wicket win over South Africa to give them an unassailable 3-1 lead in their five-match ODI series.

Dilshan wooed the crowd with an incredible century, while Sangakkara was a little unlucky not to have reached his own hundred as he was dismissed for 91.

South Africa captain AB de Villiers won the toss and elected to bat first on a surface that looked to be a batsman’s dream.

However, the Proteas did not make a good start to their innings as opening batsman Quinton de Kock was clean bowled by Sri Lanka pace bowler Lasith Malinga for just eight.

Hashim Amla and Jean Paul (JP) Duminy revived the South African innings with an outstanding 101-run partnership, during which Amla registered his own half-century.

Amla was eventually given out lbw off the bowling of Dilshan for 77 off 71 balls, which included nine boundaries.

Amla’s dismissal triggered the collapse of the South African middle order as the batsmen fell one by one, almost like a line of dominoes.

However, despite the entire middle order collapsing around him, Duminy kept his cool and continued to take the attack to the Sri Lankan bowlers, dispatching them all over the ground.

But, all good things must come to an end and Duminy’s innings was not exempt to that as he dismissed just three agonising runs short of his century after getting cleaned up by Malinga.

Duminy’s innings of 97 included seven boundaries and two maximums.

Duminy and Amla’s impressive innings helped South Africa post a total of 238.

Ajantha Mendis was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers with four wickets, while Malinga picked up three, Dilshan snapped up two and Rangana Herath chipped in with one wicket as well.

With 239 runs standing between them and the series win, the Sri Lankan opening duo of Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene made a solid start to the innings, registering 45 runs before Jayawardene was dismissed for 12 by South African pace bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

However, from then on it was all Sri Lanka as Dilshan and Sangakkara kept the crowd dancing and playing their instruments long into the night.

The pair made an unbelievable 184-run partnership, during which Sangakkara brought up his half-century and Dilshan his century as Sri Lanka cruised towards their target.

However, just as Sri Lanka were on the verge of winning, Sangakkara was dismissed by South Africa’s rangy pace bowler Morne Morkel for 91 off 101 balls, which included eight boundaries and two sixes.

Sri Lanka ultimately crossed the finish line with six overs to spare as Dilshan remained undefeated on 115 off 130 deliveries, which included 16 boundaries.

Morkel and Tsotsobe were the only South African bowlers to pick up any wickets.

De Villiers praised Duminy and Amla for their individual knocks, but admitted that his side were “30 runs short” of a decent total.

“No doubt we were 30 runs short,” he said. “Great knock there by JP. Middle order didn’t get going. The pitch turned a bit more today. Credit to Sanga and Dilshan. I asked JP what he thought about the lbw appeal against Sanga and he didn’t look confident, thought it was missing leg. The boys have fought hard. I thought de Kock handled himself well so far.”

Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews was pleased with having sealed the series, but conceded that he was “a bit worried” after losing the toss.

“Was a bit worried after I lost the toss, they started well,” he said. “We did well to hold them back. We wanted to keep them to under 250. I wanted to use Mendis more at the latter part when the wicket has been slower. Not sure if we will experiment in the final game. We would want to beat them 4-1.”

Dilshan was named the Man of the Match for his breathtaking century.

“I took a lot of confidence from my bowling,” he said. “Amla’s wicket was very important for us, and we bowled really well after that. The plan was to see off the first few overs, rotate strike and then take chances. Scoring 30s and 40s no point for me or the team.”