After three convincing wins in the South Africa tri-series featuring South Africa Emerging team and University Sports South Africa (USSA), the Sri Lanka Emerging team failed to get the better of their opponents for the first time in the series. Their 3-wicket defeat was against South Africa Emerging in Pretoria.
Having won the previous three games chasing, Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka opted to bat first after winning the toss. The visitors fielded a XI with three changes to the XI which played against USSA the previous day. Pathum Nissanka, Ramesh Mendis and Kalana Perera were the new inclusions replacing Sangeeth Cooray, Kamindu Mendis and Asitha Fernando.
>>Sri Lanka Emerging team extend winning streak<<
Minod Bhanuka’s disappointing series continued even after he was promoted to open the batting as he went for a duck in the very first over. Sri Lanka’s middle order started to fall apart following the 78-run partnership between Sandun Weerakkody and Nissanka as in-form skipper Asalanka and the two set batsmen were dismissed in quick succession.
With most of the batsmen failing to convert starts, Ramesh Mendis playing in his first game of the tour, played a crucial innings scoring 54 off 5 unbeaten. Ashen Bandara and Lahiru Madushanka supported him with quite knocks batting around him as Sri Lanka managed to post a modest total of 247/7 after 50 overs.
The South African run-chase steadied by opener Matthew Breetzke and Tony de Zorzi after losing 2 wickets for 38 runs with a 61-run partnership for the 3rd wicket. Before that stand school-leaver, left-arm seamer Kalana Perera was impressive with the new ball.
Captain Asalanka then provided his team with the much needed breakthrough to bring them back in to the game as he dismissed Breetzke for 53. Amila Aponso, Chamika Karunaratne and Perera picked up crucial wickets in the middle to push back South Africa with regular strikes. Fall of the 6th wicket in the 34th brought in Kyle Simmonds as the home team required 72 runs in 16.2 overs with 4 wickets in hand.
Targeting the Lankan spinners, Aponso and part-timers Mendis and Bandara, Simmonds took the game away from Sri Lanka with a whirlwind knock of 44 in just 26 deliveries. This made sure that the target was reached with good 8 overs remaining. Apart from the spinners in their last overs, Madushanka and Karunaratne were also expensive.
Sri Lanka Emerging team will next meet USSA on the 9th of July.
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minod Bhanuka | c Sibonelo Makhanya b Nandre Burger | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Sandun Weerakkody | c Raynard van Tonder b Dayyaan Galiem | 42 | 51 | 6 | 0 | 82.35 |
| Pathum Nissanka | c Sinethemba Qeshile b Jason Smith | 37 | 43 | 4 | 0 | 86.05 |
| Charith Asalanka | c Kyle Simmonds b Dayyaan Galiem | 6 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Sammu Ashan | c Raynard van Tonder b Kyle Simmonds | 19 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 51.35 |
| Ashen Bandara | c Sinethemba Qeshile b Kyle Simmonds | 23 | 38 | 2 | 0 | 60.53 |
| Ramesh Mendis | not out | 54 | 55 | 3 | 1 | 98.18 |
| Lahiru Madushanka | lbw b Sibonelo Makhanya | 30 | 55 | 1 | 0 | 54.55 |
| Chamika Karunarathne | not out | 12 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 240.00 |
| Extras | 24 (b 0 , lb 7 , nb 4, w 13, pen 0) |
| Total | 247/7 (50 Overs, RR: 4.94) |
| Fall of Wickets | 1-2 (0.2) Minod Bhanuka, 2-80 (13.2) Pathum Nissanka, 3-92 (17.6) Charith Asalanka, 4-94 (19.3) Sandun Weerakkody, 5-133 (30.2) Sammu Ashan, 6-140 (32.1) Ashen Bandara, 7-215 (47.4) Lahiru Madushanka, |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nandre Burger | 10 | 0 | 46 | 1 | 4.60 | |
| Thando Ntini | 7 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 5.71 | |
| Jason Smith | 10 | 0 | 56 | 1 | 5.60 | |
| Kyle Simmonds | 10 | 0 | 35 | 2 | 3.50 | |
| Dayyaan Galiem | 8 | 1 | 25 | 2 | 3.12 | |
| Sibonelo Makhanya | 5 | 0 | 38 | 1 | 7.60 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Breetzke | c Sammu Ashan b Lahiru Madushanka | 53 | 57 | 5 | 0 | 92.98 |
| Janneman Malan | lbw b Amila Aponso | 18 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 81.82 |
| Raynard van Tonder | b Amila Aponso | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Tony de Zorzi | c Minod Bhanuka b Charith Asalanka | 30 | 47 | 2 | 0 | 63.83 |
| Sinethemba Qeshile | c Sandun Weerakkody b Kalana Perera | 37 | 41 | 5 | 0 | 90.24 |
| Sibonelo Makhanya | c Dilshan Madushanka b Chamika Karunarathne | 20 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 105.26 |
| Dayyaan Galiem | b Ramesh Mendis | 28 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 82.35 |
| Kyle Simmonds | not out | 44 | 26 | 2 | 3 | 169.23 |
| Jason Smith | not out | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 250.00 |
| Extras | 10 (b 1 , lb 1 , nb 4, w 4, pen 0) |
| Total | 250/7 (42 Overs, RR: 5.95) |
| Fall of Wickets | 1-32 (5.5) Janneman Malan, 2-38 (7.6) Raynard van Tonder, 3-99 (19.5) Matthew Breetzke, 4-118 (25.1) Tony de Zorzi, 5-150 (30.3) Sibonelo Makhanya, 6-176 (33.4) Sinethemba Qeshile, 7-236 (40.6) Dayyaan Galiem, |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalana Perera | 8 | 1 | 37 | 1 | 4.62 | |
| Lahiru Madushanka | 5 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 7.00 | |
| Chamika Karunarathne | 5 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 7.00 | |
| Amila Aponso | 10 | 1 | 46 | 2 | 4.60 | |
| Kamindu Mendis | 9 | 0 | 41 | 1 | 4.56 | |
| Charith Asalanka | 3 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 8.67 | |
| Ashen Bandara | 2 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 14.00 | |
, the Sri Lanka Emerging team failed to get the better of their opponents for the first time in the series. Their 3-wicket defeat was against South Africa Emerging in Preto){kind=link}