South Africa sealed the one-day international series with two
games to spare, seeing off Sri Lanka comprehensively by 78 runs in Pallekele on
Sunday, 5 August.
Reeza Hendricks was the star of the show for the visitors,
hammering an 89-ball 102, his maiden international century. It was also the
fastest by an ODI debutant. With JP Duminy (92) and David Miller (51) following
that up with half-centuries, South Africa managed to post 363/7, their highest
ODI score in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka never looked likely to topple that target, their
struggle to put on partnerships all too evident. They were bowled out for 285
in 45.2 overs, and South Africa took an unassailable 3-0 lead.
Put in to bat, South Africa got off to a
blistering start, and pleasingly for them, it was Hashim Amla doing the heavy
hitting. So much that, in the 42-run partnership for the opening wicket,
Quinton de Kock contributed just two runs before falling to Lahiru Kumara.
Hendricks then joined Amla in the middle, and for a little over
10 overs thereafter, Sri Lanka had little cheer. With Hendricks settling in
nicely and Amla racking up his 36th fifty in ODIs, the home side was made to
chase leather all around the Pallekele International Stadium, with the two
batsmen adding 59 runs for the second wicket.
Amla couldn’t power on to a century, though. Thisara Perera, who
ended with 4/75, saw to that, deceiving him with an off-cutter, and Amla had to
walk back for a run-a-ball 59.
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