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One-Day International: Proteas come up short in run chase against Sri Lanka

One-Day International: Proteas come up short in run chase against Sri Lanka
Proteas batsman Rassie van der Dussen during the first ODI match between Sri Lanka and South Africa at R Premadasa Stadium on 2 September 2021 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Photo: Isuru Sameera Peiris / Gallo Images / Getty Images)

The Proteas are on the back foot on their short Sri Lanka tour after losing the first One-Day International by 14 runs in Colombo, with skipper Temba Bavuma doubtful for the remainder of the series.

Sri Lanka, 300 for 9 (Avishka 118, Asalanka 72, Maharaj 2-30), beat South Africa, 286 for 6 (Markram 96, van der Dussen 59, Dananjaya 2-65), by 14 runs.

 Despite a thrilling run chase the Proteas came up 14 runs short of becoming only the second side to score in excess of 300 to win an ODI in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in the first of three matches in the series on Thursday. 

While the loss hurt, there is further concern over the fitness of skipper Temba Bavuma, who was forced to retire hurt on 38 when he was struck on the hand. His withdrawal ended a 106-run partnership with Aiden Markram at a time when the Proteas had Sri Lanka’s attack under pressure. 

Bavuma was forced out of the game after being struck on a thumb by a throw from midwicket. It was one of those freakish incidents that not only have consequences for the player, but for the team, the match, and possibly the entire series. 

Needing 301 to win it was always going to require the top order to perform well to reach the target after Sri Lanka opener Avishka Fernando belted 118 off 115 balls to provide a strong foundation for his team.

“It was freakish to lose him [Bavuma] like that,” Markram, who scored 96, told the media after the match. “I wouldn’t say it was momentum-stopping, but it was clearly momentum-halting.” 

Markram’s assessment was deadly accurate and the accident was compounded 17 balls later when he was dismissed, caught at deep cover. 

Markram needed to at least match Fernando’s contribution, especially after Bavuma was taken out of the equation, but in his angst to reach a century in one blow, he gave his wicket away. 

Rassie van der Dussen (59 off 59 balls) and Heinrich Klaasen (36) threatened with a 51-run partnership, but when the former was bowled by spinner Akila Dananjaya, hopes of an unlikely victory plummeted. And they completely disappeared when Klaasen was run out. 

The Proteas needed 90 off the last 10 overs with seven wickets in hand. It was daunting but doable in the conditions, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers and fielders managed to hold their nerve a little better than the tourists. 

Earlier, Sri Lanka ended their innings with 300 on the board, for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 50 overs. 

Andile Phehlukwayo of the Proteas during the first ODI match between Sri Lanka and South Africa at R Premadasa Stadium on 2 September 2021 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Photo: Isuru Sameera Peiris / Gallo Images / Getty Images)

Fernando propelled the home side to the impressive total after they won the toss and tossed South Africa the ball to bowl first. 

He and fellow opener Minod Bhanuka (27 off 39) got their side off to a rapid start with a quick-fire half-century partnership. It came tumbling down when Markram shattered the stumps to send Bhanuka packing.  

The home side kept the scoreboard ticking over though, with particularly significant contributions coming from Charith Asalanka (72 off 62 balls) and Dhananjaya de Silva, who fell six runs short of his half-century after falling victim to the pick of South Africa’s bowlers on the day – Keshav Maharaj. 

The left-arm spinner finished his 10 overs with two wickets, and conceded just 30 runs. 

Pacers Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje struggled, although the former contributed two wickets to the South African bowling cause. Rabada conceded 66 runs in his nine overs, while Nortje went for 69 in his 10. The duo, though, will feel they made amends as they played key roles in the three run-outs.

The series is also key because South Africa are sitting way down in 10th place out of 13 teams on the 2023 World Cup qualification Super League. 

Only the top seven teams qualify automatically, with the hosts, India, taking the eighth spot. The remaining five sides will have to duke it out in an extra qualification tournament, where the two best performers will book the remaining spots for the 10-team tournament. DM

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