Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
24 | 2 Runs | SL: 121/5 (72 runs required, RR: 5.04)

  • Isuru Udana0 (9b)
  • Kamindu Mendis8 (13b)
  • Imran Tahir5-0-19-2
  • Tabraiz Shamsi4-0-29-1

7:09pm And that is all from our coverage! Thanks for joining us and we'll see you soon.

Faf: We wanted to improve and the batting was the one thing [we wanted to improve]. Especially when you have a good start. Today the guys came in and started partnerships. Normally it's difficult to come and score runs in Durban and they made it looks easy. You need to have hitters in the tank and that's one thing we've always been blessed. Today it was pleasing to see the talking we did after the last game was put into action. A really good package performance, I was proud of the guys. The plan is regardless of the results, everything we're thinking about, our big picture thinking, will be implemented in the last two games. We'll have to see what the selection panel gives us tomorrow.

QDK: [Training when you're in this form] Series in general, you just top up to make sure you're in your grove. Doing a lot of practice can be mentally tiring, so I just do top-ups. It's a mental thing. The season before was not my best ever. Came out this season with a strong mindset. Just to convert one of my scores into a decent score was pleasing.

Quinton de Kock is the Man of the Match.

Malinga: First half when we were bowling, we misfielded a lot. 15-20 runs too much. We got a good start 2 for 75, but after that with the DLS, it's very hard to get that kind of target. We were looking forward to concentrate and play their roles, but with the rain they couldn't do what we expected. Kamindu is a very interesting player in our future. He's a plus point going into the matches. We still want to give opportunity for the players to get confidence and do their job.


Y.V.: "Let us Sri Lankans be proud for the fact that Our team accepted the target. Fernando, Mendis, Thisara tried their best. Lets forget about this match and move on."

Abhijato: "Haha... Tahir clearly wants as many wickets as he can get before he rides off into the glorious sunset. We will miss your idiosyncrasies, Imran!"

Graeme: "The issue with DLS is that there's never going to be a way to accurately predict something that didn't happen because of rain, there's no perfect system"

Tiaan: "Hahah another first review of the last ball with 70 adv."

Rifdhy: "Are you kidding me Tahir? Reviewing after you win the game... bit of funny though"

6:52pm And that is the game. Ending much later than originally expected, and also much tamer than it might have been. A boring, dull end in front of nearly no spectators. BUT, South Africa dominated this game with the bat and had their noses ahead with the ball too. They win the five-match series at 3-0 now. Quiton de Kock finally converting a brisk start. Top innings from him, that 121. South Africa's wobbly middle-order chose caution today. Rassie with a 67-ball 50, Miller with an unbeaten 42 off 46. This was largely due to debutant Kamindu, who gave them nothing with his various styles of bowling. But the allrounders got a good hit in, particularly Phehlukwayo, who finished with an unbeaten 38 off 15 balls. One of the factors that led to DLS pulling this game well out of Sri Lanka's way. Andrew Fidel Fernando's report will tell you that story shortly.

23.6
0
Imran Tahir to Udana, no run, Oh dear and Tahir sends one upstairs on the review. Googly rips back past the inside edge as he looks to defend this. Lbw appeal turned down as this crashes into the pads. There's no inside edge on it, though Tahir appeals for that as well when QDK takes this....missing leg stump.

Sri Lanka need 72 off 1 ball.

23.5
0
Imran Tahir to Udana, no run, full on middle stump, dead-batted on the front foot
23.4
0
Imran Tahir to Udana, no run, googly at a length on off stump, blocked on the front foot
23.3
1
Imran Tahir to PHKD Mendis, 1 run, length at middle, turned into the leg side from deep in the crease
23.2
0
Imran Tahir to PHKD Mendis, no run, dropped. An inside edge onto pad, bobs past QDK's knee. He had no chance really
23.1
0
Imran Tahir to PHKD Mendis, no run, length outside off, pushed into the covers on the front foot
23.1
1w
Imran Tahir to PHKD Mendis, 1 wide, short and wide outside off, left alone

END OF OVER:
23 | 1 Run | SL: 119/5 (74 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 5.17, RRR: 74.00)

  • Isuru Udana0 (6b)
  • Kamindu Mendis7 (10b)
  • Tabraiz Shamsi4-0-29-1
  • Imran Tahir4-0-17-2

Jez: "In the other ODI today, Aus were 80-2 off 16, chasing 359, and look what happened there! I'm a great fan of DLS but clearly Sri Lanka got a rough deal here. A few tweaks are in order, methinks." --- Totally. Can be too simplistic sometimes.

22.6
0
Shamsi to Udana, no run, googly at middle and leg, defended on the front foot
22.5
0
Shamsi to Udana, no run, length on off stump, blocked on the front foot
22.4
0
Shamsi to Udana, no run, length and turning in at leg stump, looks to drive through cover, gets it off the inside edge to short fine
22.3
0
Shamsi to Udana, no run, googly outside off, driven to extra cover
22.3
1w
Shamsi to Udana, 1 wide, slider at a length down leg side, past the attempted flick
22.2
0
Shamsi to Udana, no run, googly at a length on leg stump, defended into the leg side
22.1
0
Shamsi to Udana, no run, googly at a length outside off, looks to flick, beaten on the outside edge

END OF OVER:
22 | 5 Runs 1 Wkt | SL: 118/5 (75 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 5.36, RRR: 37.50)

  • Kamindu Mendis7 (10b)
  • Isuru Udana0 (0b)
  • Imran Tahir4-0-17-2
  • Tabraiz Shamsi3-0-28-1

Naveed : "Given how the Aussies and the Lankans were going neck-and-neck in their chase, Sri Lanka would have won this game had rain not interrupted ;)"

21.6
0
Imran Tahir to PHKD Mendis, no run, short and ripping in at off stump. Backs away for the cut, ends up chopping it into the pitch
21.5
W
Imran Tahir to NLTC Perera, OUT, finds deep extra cover with the new bat. A great sliding catch from Rassie to his right. This is full outisde off, he looks to club it over the boundary. Ends up slicing it and Rassie gets there with a sprint. Tahir gestures to his family in celebration

NLTC Perera c van der Dussen b Imran Tahir 12 (23m 14b 0x4 0x6) SR: 85.71

And that means he'll need a change of bat.

21.4
2
Imran Tahir to NLTC Perera, 2 runs, low full toss outside off, has a mighty swing at this, but it pings off the toe-end, between long-on and deep midwicket
21.3
1
Imran Tahir to PHKD Mendis, 1 run, full on middle stump, driven to long-on

MK: "Which way does Kamindu Mendis bat? Interested to know after his ambidextrous bowling display?" --- Extremely left-handed so far

21.2
1
Imran Tahir to NLTC Perera, 1 run, short of a length slider wide outside off, chucks the bat at it, slices to long-off's right
21.1
1
Imran Tahir to PHKD Mendis, 1 run, short of a length on leg stump, flicked to short fine

END OF OVER:
21 | 7 Runs | SL: 113/4 (80 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 5.38, RRR: 26.66)

  • Kamindu Mendis5 (7b)
  • Thisara Perera9 (11b)
  • Tabraiz Shamsi3-0-28-1
  • Imran Tahir3-0-12-1

Sven: "Again, anyone complaining about DLS when playing against the Proteas REALLY need to check their history with regards to the Proteas and DLS and then come back and apologise."

20.6
1
Shamsi to PHKD Mendis, 1 run, short of a length outside off, cut to sweeper cover
20.5
0
Shamsi to PHKD Mendis, no run, hits it straight into Thisara's chest! He gets his hands in the way, the non-striker. Looks like a forearm in the end. It was sweetly hit, a length ball on middle and he got down the pitch and middled the uppish drive. Thisara is okay, but that is stinging him
20.4
1
Shamsi to NLTC Perera, 1 run, another top edge falls safely in the covers. Another length ball outside off, swings and gets it into the covers
20.3
2
Shamsi to NLTC Perera, 2 runs, just past point. Length ball turning away outside off, slogs across the line and just clears that fielder with a top edge

Sri Lanka 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st11N DickwellaWIA Fernando
2nd24BOP FernandoWIA Fernando
3rd41BOP FernandoBKG Mendis
4th28NLTC PereraBKG Mendis
5th14NLTC PereraPHKD Mendis
6th3I UdanaPHKD Mendis