Published: Aug 02, 2013, 10:31 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 02, 2013, 10:31 PM (IST)
JP Duminy scored 51 runs and picked three wickets © AFP
Aug 2, 2013
An allround performance from JP Duminy buoyed South Africa to register a 12-run victory over Sri Lanka in a low-scoring thriller in the first T20 at Colombo. After scoring almost half the South African total (51 from 52 deliveries), Duminy returned to pick up three crucial wickets and finished with figures of three for 18 from his four overs.
A target of 116 was never going to be too much but the South African bowlers pushed the home side into believing otherwise when they picked up two early wickets. First to go was Kushal Perera, who mishit a good length delivery straight to debutant David Wiese at point. An over later, Dinesh Chandimal departed after trying to cut a delivery from Lonwabo Tsotsobe and ending up giving a regulation catch to Quinton de Kock behind the stumps.
Senior pros Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara came together to steer the Sri Lankan innings but the former fell after trying to go after JP Duminy. AB de Villiers at long on completed a good catch to send Dilshan back as Sri Lanka were down to 44 for three in the 10th over. Just when South Africa felt they could pull off a miracle, Sangakkara got his eye in and thwarted their plans. In his 26-ball partnership of 28 runs with skipper Angelo Mathews, he hogged the strike for 21 deliveries.
When Mathews was dismissed for four, Sri Lanka was on 72 for four in the 14th over, still needing 44 runs to win from 38 deliveries. Sri Lanka were further pegged back when Duminy struck again in the very next delivery to send back Jeevan Mendis for a golden duck. Debutant Imran Tahir then came into the act when he brought about another breakthrough to push Sri Lanka to the brink. Lahiru Thirimanne cleared his front leg and tried to clear the boundary to ease the pressure but could only find the safe hands of De Villiers at long-off.
Sri Lanka were still not in danger but a sudden flurry of wickets put them in a fix. To his horror, Sangakkara was stranded at the non-striker’s end as three more wickets fell in quick succession. They were on 95 for seven when Lasith Malinga displayed splendid death bowling skills to finish with a maiden and two wickets from the over. Sangakkara inspired rare hope in the final over when 21 runs were required, by slamming two consecutive boundaries off the second and third delivery. However, Morkel made a good comeback and bowled three dot balls to take his side home by 12 runs.
Brief scores:
South Africa 115 for 6 in 20 overs (JP Duminy 51, David Miller 25; Sachithra Senanayake 3 for 14) beat Sri Lanka 103 for 9 in 20 overs ( Kumar Sangakkara 59*; JP Duminy 3 for 18) by 12 runs
Man of the Match: JP Duminy
Full Scorecard
