Dwaine Pretorius bagged his best One Day International bowling figures as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 163 in just 39.2 overs against South Africa in the third ODI at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Pretorius, who came into the side after Wayne Parnell was rested, ended with 3-19 in seven overs as Sri Lanka failed to reach 200 in their third ODI innings on tour, after AB de Villiers had won the toss and elected to bat first.
Pretorius was backed up by Imran Tahir (2-21), Kagiso Rabada (2-39) and Andile Phehlukwayo (2-26) who each grabbed a pair of wickets after Niroshan Dickwella and captain Upal Tharanga had given the tourist a solid start with an opening stand of 60 for the first wicket.
The match was delayed after 27 overs for almost an hour as a swarm of bees descended onto the field, forcing the players off while former groundsman, Chris Scott, and a bee-keeper were called in to rescue the situation.
Dickwella and Tharanag began confidently, scoring 60 off 74 balls before Rabada made the breakthrough. Dickwella had just been dropped by JP Dumniny but Pretouris pouched the very next ball at fine leg as Tharanga tried to force the issue after facing 45 balls and striking five boundaries.
Phehlukwayo then stepped up and dismissed Kusal Mendis (4) and Dinesh Chandimal (4), caught by Quinton de Kock and Chris Morris respectively. Dhananjaya de Silva (16) looked good while he was at the crease but then was well caught at slip by Hashim Amla off Morris (8-0-38-1) to leave the Islanders on 115 for four.
The bees then descended upon the ground in the next over but when the players returned, so did South Africa’s attacking intent with the ball. Asela Gunaratne (2) slashed Rabada towards Pretorius on the cover boundary but then Dickwella and Sachith Pathirana (20) gave some hope with a stand worth 24 off 19 balls for the sixth wicket before Pretorius struck.
Dickwella, who had faced 80 balls and struck seven boundaries, edged a leg-side delivery from Pretorius to De Kock behind the stumps to give the wicketkeeper his 100th ODI dismissal. Debutante Lahiru Madushanka (0) was then brilliantly caught by Faf du Plessis, celebrating his 100th ODI, at second slip before Suranga Lakmal was pouched by Farhaan Behardien on the boundary, both off Pretorius.
Tahir then finished off the innings when Lahiru Kumara (3) left a ball outside the off stump which spun in and hit his leg stump and then Pathirana was caught by Rabada at mid-off to end another disappointing batting display from the tourist.
South Africa will require just 164 runs to wrap up the five-match series with two games to spare.
SuperSport
