Abject Sri Lanka mauled at Paarl

Sri Lanka capsized to their lowest ever total in one-dayers against South Africa in first of the five match series to be crushed by a massive margin of 258 runs. Chasing 302, the visitors capitulated for 43 in 20.1 overs as the South African bowlers particularly Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tostosbe ran amok with combined figures of 12-0-29-7.

AB de Villiers won his first toss as captain of the South African one-day side and had no hesitation in electing to bat first on a hot day at Paarl. Despite Graeme Smith’s early departure, the hosts were off to a good start due to Jacques Kallis’ fluent scoring in the first ten overs. While Hashim Amla took his time to get going, Kallis kept the innings moving with some precise shots, none better than a loft over long-on in the tenth over

Amla had scored a solitary boundary till the seventeenth over but found his touch against Ajantha Mendis by smashing three supremely placed boundaries in his first two overs. In the process, South Africa crossed three figures as the two batsmen looked at ease on a placid track against an attack that rarely threatened. Shortly afterwards, both Kallis and Amla notched up their respective fifties.

The flourishing second wicket partnership pushed South Africa past 150 but a poor piece of running brought an end to the 144-run stand. Kallis after having dominated the bowling for his 72 was caught short of his crease by a Mahela Jayawardene direct hit from cover.

In walked AB de Villiers and his first knock as the skipper was solid and with Amla for company, powered his side to a strong position. With ones on offer, de Villiers and Amla milked the bowling but pounced on any opportunity to get a four. de Villiers celebrated the fifty partnership by dispatching Mendis for two boundaries. The dose was repeated on Tillakaratne Dilshan as AB completed his fifty off just 36 deliveries. All this while, Amla had almost went unnoticed to reach the nineties and brought up his ninth hundred with a couple.

After 40 overs, South Africa were well placed at 240 for 2 and looked set for a total in excess of 300. But, de Villiers wicket slowed down the momentum and with Malinga firing in the yorkers towards the end, the South African lower order couldn’t get away. Save for 21-ball 25 from Morne Morkel, Sri Lanka had the better of the last ten overs, conceding 60 runs. Lasith Malinga picked up four wickets during the same period to finish with figures of 5 for 53 but South Africa were still able to put up a big score of 301 on the board.

At half-time, the Sri Lankan camp would have been pleased by their bowling towards the end of South African innings and would have hoped that the batsmen carry the momentum into the chase as well. But, what unfolded was a horror-show as the Sri Lankan line-up fell like a pack of cards to be all-out for 43, their lowest ever total in ODIs, beating the 55 they had scored against West Indies quarter of a century ago.

Instead of Dale Steyn, the usual suspect in such cases, South Africa surprisingly chose to give the new balls to Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tostosbe. Only on the second ball, Upul Tharanga tried to play a stroke which would fetch him four runs on most sub-continent tracks. Here, he only managed an edge that was snaffled by JP Duminy at gully.

Tostosbe removed Dilshan in his first over and Dinesh Chandimal fell in the fourth as Sri Lanka were in dire straits at 8 for 3. It soon became 9 for 5, Morne Morkel’s extra pace and awkward bounce accounting for Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews. Sri Lanka’s last hope, Mahela Jayawardene fell in the eight over to Tsotsobe and with his went hopes of a rearguard.

By the time Dale Steyn came into operation, only four wickets were left. However, he added one to his figures by surprising Kalusekara with a bouncer. Robin Petersen picked up a couple and Morne Morkel returned to take his fourth as the end came swiftly. The margin of defeat was 258, the fourth highest in the format.