(UDHAYAM, PORT ELIZABETH-SOUTH AFRICA) – Sri Lankans were bundled out for 181 in 48.3 overs during the 1st One Day International against South Africa in Port Elizabeth.
Kusal Mendis top scored for the Lankans with 62 while Dhananjaya De Silva contributed with 28.
Three wickets apiece from Imran Tahir and Wayne Parnell help South Africa restrict Sri Lanka to a below par total.
Sri Lanka did not get off to a good start, as they lost their openers inside four overs. Niroshan Dickwella was the first to go; he was trapped leg-before by Wayne Parnell off the very first ball of his spell. He then removed debutant Sandun Weerakkody for 5 in his next over.
Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal got together and stitched together a 72-run stand, but it took them close to 21 overs. The partnership had, however, steadied the Sri Lankan innings.
Chandimal was then foxed by a wrong one by Imran Tahir for a 55-ball 22. Mendis carried on and got to his half-century, but was soon dismissed leg-before by Tahir once again. Mendis took a review, but the third umpire stayed with the on-field umpire’s decision. Tahir then removed the stand-in skipper Upul Tharanga for just 6, caught at cover. Sri Lanka then lost Asela Gunaratne for 10, Nuwan Kulasekara for 17 and Jeffrey Vandersay for 8. Gunaratne was needlessly run out at the non-striker’s end after there was a slight mix-up between de Silva and him.
Dhananjaya de Silva was the only mainstay batsman left for Sri Lanka at that stage. The last-wicket pair of Lakshan Sandakan and Suranga Lakmal had the task of playing the remaining 5 overs. They tried their best, but the South African bowlers proved to be too good, and they fell just short of batting out the full quota.
Earlier, South Africa Skipper AB de Villiers won the toss and elected to field first.
