Sri Lanka have positives to take from this game, but that alone won't help unless they begin to turn the results around too. May be that will happen in Bloemfontein. On your way out, do have a read of Abhishek Purohit's match report, and we will soon have more analysis and stories from Firdose Moonda in East London. Until then, on behalf of the crew at ESPNcricinfo, this is Nitin Sundar signing off. Ta!
Duminy is the Man of the Match. "It was great to get a chance at No. 4. We wanted to be more flexible than we usually are. So between myself, AB and Faf we thought we will mix it up a bit and today was my chance. I enjoyed the bowling too, and hope to get 10 overs in sometime. We always knew we'll get there as long as we had wickets, and that's what happened. Just a bit of cramp up there in the end."
AB: "The toss didn't play a big part today. We played good cricket through out and I am very proud. We picked up wickets at crucial times, and Hash the Rock played really well. There would have been more pressure if they had got those 20-25 runs. Hash's wife is yet to give birth, but he will be there for it [and will mostly miss the next game]."
Dilshan: "We were 20-25 short in the batting. First 25 overs we didn't get enough runs. I got run out, this isn't a wicket where you can get run out [Whatever that means!]. At the moment, everything is going wrong for me. Hopefully the next match will be good. Tharanga and Chandimal batted really well, which is a positive sign for us."
"Kepler, please say something to srilankan team to motivate for their 3rd ODI," implores John.
Sri Lanka showed plenty of heart today, especially with the bat, after Dilshan and Sangakkara left them in avoidable strife upfront. But the bowling changes left a lot to be desired, and Malinga didn't have his best day with the ball. South Africa's biggest obstacle in the chase was South Africa, whom they managed to overcome and win with time to spare.
A word of appreciation to JP Duminy, who played the innings of the day. Just what was needed on a slow, stopping pitch, with the bowlers changing the pace all the time.
Over the stumps now.
Dilshan comes back on. I am not making this up.
END OF OVER:48 | 4 Runs | SA: 232/5 (5 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 4.83, RRR: 2.50)
- Jean-Paul Duminy66 (87b)
- Albie Morkel7 (7b)
- Dhammika Prasad10-0-46-3
- Lasith Malinga10-1-38-1
Lasith's bowled out, so Sri Lanka's chances are quite bleak now.
END OF OVER:47 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | SA: 228/5 (9 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 4.85, RRR: 3.00)
- Albie Morkel4 (4b)
- Jean-Paul Duminy65 (84b)
- Lasith Malinga10-1-38-1
- Dhammika Prasad9-0-42-3
Albie comes in. SA are three strokes away from a win. SL five wickets.
F du Plessis c & b Malinga 18 (26m 16b 2x4 0x6) SR: 112.50
END OF OVER:46 | 4 Runs | SA: 224/4 (13 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 4.86, RRR: 3.25)
- Jean-Paul Duminy65 (84b)
- Faf du Plessis18 (14b)
- Dhammika Prasad9-0-42-3
- Lasith Malinga9-1-34-0