Janneman Malan was the central figure in South Africa’s total of 283/6 in the second ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Saturday (September 4).
The 25-year-old opening batsman came up with a measured 121 off 135 balls - of which 46 runs came in boundaries - while Reeza Hendricks and Heinrich Klaasen came up with important contributions as South Africa left Sri Lanka with a required rate of more than six an over to clinch the ODI series.
In a game reduced to 47 overs per side, South Africa opted to bat with Keshav Maharaj captaining for the first time. George Linde was handed an ODI debut while Hendricks and Wiaan Mulder also made it to the eleven. Hendricks was the first of three changes to get into action when he came in at the fall of Aiden Markram’s wicket in the ninth over. Markram struck a straight four off Dushmantha Chameera before skipping down the track to Praveen Jayawickrama to clear the fence by going over cover. Malan was driving and flicking well at the other end, with both batsmen also rotating the strike well. But the partnership came to an end with the score on 43 as Markram edged to the ‘keeper when he tried to punch a Chamika Karunaratne delivery.
Hendricks, playing his first ODI since February 2020, preferred the leg-side fence for regular boundaries as he put on a good stand with Malan to provide a strong platform for South Africa. Malan was a touch slower in terms of strike rate but he kept the scoreboard ticking and also managed fours from time to time as he 64-ball fifty with a sweep off Jayawickrama for a boundary. Hendricks got to his third ODI fifty, getting there off 52 balls, before he decided to come down the track to Dhananjaya de Silva but was bowled - thus ending a 96-run stand.
Sri Lanka kept things tight as South Africa experienced a boundary drought. Rassie van der Dussen’s four off Jayawickrama in the 31st over was South Africa’s first in eight overs, while they went four more overs without a four after that. Malan broke the shackles with a slog-sweep to midwicket off Wanindu Hasaranga but the bowler struck in the same over to have van der Dussen out stumped. Heinrich Klaasen, who came in next, played the reserve paddle for a four off Akila Dananjaya while he also swept Hasaranga to the boundary, as did Malan. Klaasen kept the boundaries coming, with the Sri Lankan spinners erring on the shorter side, while a tired Malan was struggling a bit at the other end. A reluctant review went in favour of Klaasen - with Malan forcing him to go upstairs - as he managed to reverse an onfield LBW decision off the bowling of Hasaranga.
Sri Lanka were also guilty of giving extra runs through overthrows, poor fielding and extras. Malan, meanwhile, got to his third ODI ton - off 126 deliveries - and began a fresh boundary assault soon after. He was put down by Asalanka at long-on and the ball went to the fence, sent a Hasaranga delivery over the fence before managing his ninth four when Karunaratne let one through at sweeper cover. Klaasen struck a six off Chameera before falling to the same bowler, ending a partnership worth 86 off only 54. Malan was also out leg-before to Chameera attempting a reverse paddle while Andile Phehlukwayo fell to Karunaratne. Useful runs from Linde and Mulder helped South Africa post a competitive total in their bid to level the series.
Brief scores: South Africa 283/6 in 47 overs (Janneman Malan 121, Reeza Hendricks 51, Heinrich Klaasen 43; Chamika Karunaratne 2-24) vs Sri Lanka.
-Agencies
