Sri Lanka is all out for 225 in 49.3 overs at the fifth and final ODI against South Africa at the Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.

Yet another insipid top order performance from Sri Lanka saw them slip to 141 for 7 in the 41st over, before a 61-run eighth-wicket stand between Priyamal Perera and Isuru Udana added a sheen of respectability to the innings, pushing them up to 225 all out.

Despite the decent finish, Sri Lanka’s total is still modest, given the good batting conditions. South Africa’s attack, hunting as a pack, were persistent and disciplined - Imran Tahir and Kagiso Rabada picking up five wickets between them. Many of Sri Lanka’s wounds, however, were self-inflicted. Kusal Mendis, who top-scored with 56, was run out for the second time in the series, after a serious miscommunication with Priyamal. Angelo Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva departed following soft dismissals as well.

Rabada was South Africa’s best bowler, taking 3 for 50 - two of those wickets coming in his final over, when Udana, then Priyamal, holed out attempting big leg-side shots. Through the course of the innings, Rabada had bowled with excellent pace, even if the Newlands track did not offer much movement. Tahir, meanwhile, was indomitable as usual, taking 2 for 33 in his last ODI on home soil - the sharp-spinning legbreak taking the outside edge of both Oshada Fernando and Angelo Perera’s bats.

The Sri Lanka innings had all its usual milestones, almost as if they were following some sort of formula for failure. The first wicket fell in the fourth over - Avishka Fernando edging Lungi Ngidi to third slip. Upul Tharanga departed next over, nicking off to Rabada. Oshada Fernando and Mendis attempted to rebuild the innings - slowly - putting on 49 off 83 balls. Once Oshada was out, Mendis tried again with Angelo Perera - playing his first international in almost three years - as they put on 62 for the fourth wicket. But at no point were Sri Lanka able to build a partnership that really put South Africa under threat. After Angelo was out to Tahir, Mendis, Thisara Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva all lost their wickets in quick succession, and Sri Lanka seemed headed for a score of less than 200.

Priyamal and Udana began their own partnership with caution, not venturing a boundary for 19 balls, before finally Udana walloped a Rabada bouncer through midwicket for four. Through the death overs, the pair were adventurous, hitting three more fours and a six, before Udana was caught at deep midwicket by Tahir, who judged the high chance well.

Priyamal got out next ball, and Akila Dananjaya holed out next over to Anrich Norje, who picked up 2 for 35.

Sri Lanka 225 (Kusal Mendis 56, Rabada 3-50, Tahir 2-33, Nortje 3-35) v South Africa

Source: ESPN Cricinfo
-Agencies