Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Sri Lanka win by three wickets. A low-scoring match with a dramatic finish. You have to say there was some poor batting throughout, albeit on a tricky pitch, but Mathews has played a captain's innings. It's a vital win for Sri Lanka on what has been a tough tour.

Sunny: "My heart needs some rest! Wow, Sri Lanka you know how to make a match exciting."

Omkar: "Why would you bring on JJ when parnell had 1 left and Mathews was struggling to move his feet?" Perhaps they were going on the theory that pace off the ball would be harder to hit. Didn't work

So it's 1-1 and we'll have a deciding match in Cape Town on Wednesday. AB de Villiers, who has made a century today, is expected to return so it should be a terrific occasion. We'll be back for that game but, for now, from Gnasher and Alan it's goodbye and thanks for joining us.

19.4
6
Smuts to Mathews, SIX, and he's done it! What a finish. Mathews battles through the pain, takes a skip down the pitch and launches this straight down the ground. Also takes him to a half-century

1 off 3

19.3
0
Smuts to Mathews, no run, moves to the leg side, hammers a short ball to mid-on...there was a single there but Mathews doesn't risk it
19.2
6
Smuts to Mathews, SIX, into the stands! Scores are level. Not issues with this one. Stand and deliver, in pain. Swings through the line of a full ball and deposits it into the crowd at long-on
19.1
0
Smuts to Mathews, no run, dropped! Deep midwicket. And they haven't taken any runs. He go underneath the ball, trying to swing over the leg side. Would have been a fine catch

7 off 6 need. A batsman who can barely move. The tail for company. Smuts to bowl

END OF OVER:
19 | 5 Runs 1 Wkt | SL: 107/7 (7 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 5.63, RRR: 7.00)

  • Angelo Mathews42 (46b)
  • Nuwan Kulasekara0 (1b)
  • Wayne Parnell3-0-16-1
  • JJ Smuts2-0-7-1
18.6
1lb
Parnell to Mathews, 1 leg bye, he can barely move...hobbles a single to keep the strikes as this balloons off the thigh guard as he goes to pull a short-of-a-length ball

What late drama here. No runners allowed, remember. This would be a cruel blow. He has a history of injuries. Or is it cramp? He lost his footing as he tried to dive for the crease. He grabbed at the back of his right leg straight away. He's now back on his feet. But hobbling. He's trying to walk. Not moving well. On the replay, actually appears his ankle twisted as he lost his balance running for the single. He seems good to resume, but he's not moving well. Can he run?

18.5
1lb
Parnell to Kulasekara, 1 leg bye, it's all happening! Short of a length from round the wicket, he's through his pull and is taken on the body...it rebounds to the off side. They scamper a single, Mathews dives and as he done his hamstring?

9 off 8 now. Wickets also an issue.

18.4
W
Parnell to ST de Silva, OUT, picks out mid-on! This game isn't over yet. A length ball, outside off, he tried to drag it over the leg side but could only lob it do the man who was up inside the circle. Came right off the toe of the bat

ST de Silva c Behardien b Parnell 3 (6m 6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

18.3
0
Parnell to ST de Silva, no run, full and straight, flicked to mid-on
18.2
2
Parnell to ST de Silva, 2 runs, length ball outside off, neatly steered backward of point and place wide enough of third man for a second...required runs into single figures

Sunny: "Don't see why Prasanna is in the team. His "batting" is not better than a tail ender, and his bowling is like a part timer. Vandersay would have been a better pick- a much better bowler and could bat as well as Prasanna (which is just swinging the bat like mad)."

18.1
1
Parnell to Mathews, 1 run, round the wicket, full outside off, driven to long-off

Can South Africa keep this to a four-run over? Make it eight off the last

END OF OVER:
18 | 5 Runs 1 Wkt | SL: 102/6 (12 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 5.66, RRR: 6.00)

  • Angelo Mathews41 (44b)
  • Thikshila de Silva1 (3b)
  • JJ Smuts2-0-7-1
  • Wayne Parnell2-0-13-0

12 needed off 12

17.6
1
Smuts to Mathews, 1 run, calmly pushes a length ball down the ground so he keeps the strike
17.5
1
Smuts to ST de Silva, 1 run, finds the gap this time, angled wide of cover
17.4
0
Smuts to ST de Silva, no run, plays with an open face to backward point
17.3
1
Smuts to Mathews, 1 run, pushed down the ground to long-on
17.3
1w
Smuts to Mathews, 1 wide, shoved way down the leg side, precious extra run and ball
17.2
1b
Smuts to ST de Silva, 1 bye, round the wicket, beats the edge! Not gloved by the keeper. Done by some extra bounce

Sri Lanka making hard work of this. Keith: "Any idea who the picture on Tahir's shirt is of?" Himself, wasn't it?

17.1
W
Smuts to Prasanna, OUT, drags down his first ball, but it's pulled down deep square-leg's throat! Tahir holds on very near the boundary. Good awareness of where his feet were.

S Prasanna c Imran Tahir b Smuts 2 (10m 5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 40.00

Smuts will have another bowl

END OF OVER:
17 | 4 Runs | SL: 97/5 (17 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 5.70, RRR: 5.66)

  • Seekkuge Prasanna2 (4b)
  • Angelo Mathews39 (42b)
  • Wayne Parnell2-0-13-0
  • Imran Tahir4-0-14-1
16.6
1
Parnell to Prasanna, 1 run, length ball, opens the face and taps it behind point...that's all they need to do
16.5
1
Parnell to Mathews, 1 run, full toss outside off, driven to deep cover
16.4
1
Parnell to Prasanna, 1 run, direct hit! Superb work from Phangiso running in from point. Picks up one handed and finally there's a direct hit today, but he's made it with a stretch!

Sri Lanka tour of South Africa 2016-17 News

Dream start

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Bowlers who have taken a wicket off their first ball in T20Is. Sandakan is the first Sri Lankan to achieve this