South Africa starts their Champions Trophy campaign with a dominating 96 runs win over Sri Lanka at Kennington Oval, London. Hashim Amla 103, late quick fire knock by JP Duminy helped South Africa to post 299. Sri Lankan innings got off to a good start but Imran Tahir spell changed the course.
Sri Lankan stand-in Captain Upul Tharanga won the toss and elected to field. Lasith Malinga and Suragana Lakmal started the first 10 overs restricting the scoring of South African openers Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla giving away just 32 runs. The left handed batsmen de Kock was dismissed for 23. The first wicket partnership put on 44 runs for the first wicket.
Faf du Plessis was dropped by Lasith Malinga at the score of 8 runs. After that Hashim Amla and du Plessis played sensibly taking singles, hitting the bad balls away for boundaries. Amla completed his half century in 56 balls. Both of them continued to plunder the Sri Lankan bowlers and in the process du Plessis too completed his fifty.
In the 34th over, Tharanga bought in Nuwan Pradeep to break the partnership and he ended a big partnership of 145 runs for the second wicket. In the next overs, Prasanna took the big wicket of AB de Villiers to stop the South African scoring. David Miller could not also contribute much scoring just 18 runs.
Hashim Amla broke the record of Virat Kohli off scoring the fastest 25 One-day internationals in 112 balls and was soon dismissed run out for 103. JP Duminy played a cameo knock of 38 in 20 balls with 5 fours, 1 six, Chris Morris also scored 20 in 19 balls. The South African team posted a total of 299 for 6 in 50 overs.
Chasing the target of 300, the Sri Lankan openers especially Niroshan Dickwella played attacking strokes putting pressure right from the word. He took on Wayne Parnell and World number 1 bowler Kagiso Rabada.
In the 9th over, Morne Morkel was bought by AB de Villiers and did not disappoint by taking the wicket of dangerous Dickwella for 41 . Upul Tharanga then started to attack the South African bowlers. At the end of first 10 overs, Sri Lanka was 87 for 1.
After the powerplay overs, Kusal Mendis was dismissed by Chris Morris for 11 runs. Â Dinesh Chandimal and Upul Tharanga put on 22 runs before AB de Villiers brilliantly run out Chandimal.
Imran Tahir picked the wickets of Kapugedra, the half centurion Upul Tharanga and Gunaranthe. Kusal Perera remained not out on 44 in 66 balls. Imran Tahir scalped the wicket of Nuwan Pradeep the end the Sri Lankan innings at 203 in 41.3 overs.
South Africa 299 for 6 in 50 overs (Hashim Amla 103, Faf du Plessis 75, Nuwan Pradeep 2/54) beat Sri Lanka 203 in 41.3 overs ( Upul Tharanga 57, Imran Tahir 4/27) by 96 runs.
Man of the match: Imran Tahir
South Africa 2, Sri Lanka 0
The 4th match will be played between India and Pakistan tomorrow at Edgbaston.
