The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Sri Lanka makes clean sweep

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 01, 2004

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Sri Lanka makes clean sweep

COLOMBO, AUG. 31. Despite a fighting century by Jacques Kallis, Sri Lanka trounced South Africa by 49 runs in the final one-day International here on Tuesday. With this win, Sri Lanka swept the series 5-0.

Sri Lanka, put in, amassed 308 runs, losing eight wickets in 50 overs. Sanath Jayasuriya top-scored with 79. In reply, South Africa was dismissed for 259 in 48.1 overs. Leg-spinner Upul Chandana, who bowled superbly, took five wickets.

South Africa lost out-of-form Herschelle Gibbs with the total on 11, bowled off the inside edge by left-arm seamer Nuwan Zoysa.

Skipper Smith showed promise with a well-compiled 25, hitting three fours, but fell run out to a sharp throw from Chandana at deep square-leg when he attempted a second run.

Jacques Rudolph, who joined Kallis after the departure of Smith, added 114 runs in 137 balls for the third wicket. South Africa needed to score at nine runs per over at the end of 35 overs when Rudolph came out to hit Chandana and was caught by Tillekeratne Dilshan at short mid-on for 48. Mark Boucher, who came in next, hit two fours and a six in his 24 before being stumped by Kumar Sangakkara off Chandana.

Kallis scores century

Kallis departed after making 101— his 13th one-day century — when he top-edged a sweep off Chandana to give Sangakkara an easy catch. Trying to increase the scoring rate, South Africa lost its last five wickets for 49 runs.

Earlier, an aggressive 125-run partnership between Jayasuriya and Saman Jayantha helped Sri Lanka set a huge target for South Africa.

Fast bowler Shaun Pollock gave South Africa a good start, dismissing opener Avishka Gunawardene on the third ball of the day, without any run on the board.

Jayasuriya and Jayantha pulled the side out of trouble with their 132-ball stand, which came in 96 minutes.

Smith brought medium fast bowler Lance Klusener into the attack in the 23rd over and on his first ball forced an edge off Jayantha's bat to wicketkeeper Boucher. Jayantha made 51 — his second one-day half-century — in 68 balls, which includes six fours.

Jayasuriya's 79 came in 85 balls including seven fours before offspinner Smith had him caught by Gibbs at short extra-cover.

In-form batsman Sangakkara recorded his 17th half-century — third of the series — and added a brisk 84 off 87 balls for the fourth wicket with stand-in skipper Mahela Jayawardene.

Sangakkara plundered 72 runs in 71 balls including four fours and a six before being caught by Kallis off pacer Charl Langeveldt. Jayawardene departed for 39, trapped lbw by Langeveldt. — AP

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