Clinical new ball bowling helped South Africa win the second T20 International against Sri Lanka at SuperSport Park on Friday evening by 16 runs, which was far more comprehensive than the number suggests.
Full ScorecardSouth Africa clinched the series two-nil with a match to spare.
A record second-wicket partnership of 116 between Reeza Hendricks (65) and Rassie van der Dussen (64) helped South Africa to post a competitive total of 180 for three after being asked to bat first, and the tourists were restricted to 164 for nine.
Dale Steyn claimed two wickets in the first over to set the hosts on their way with opener Avishka Fernando (0) chipping lamely to mid on and Kusal Mendis (4) bowled by a classic Steyn away-swinger.
Chris Morris, making a late bid for World Cup inclusion, also picked up two quick wickets – with successive deliveries – when Niroshan Dickwella (20) skied a legside heave and Kamindu Mendis edged behind to debutant keeper Sinethemba Qeshile. Morris achieved the rare feat of a double-wicket maiden with his second over.
Thisara Perera briefly threatened a fightback with 22 from 15 balls before edging Dwaine Pretorius to Qeshile but at 56 for five after 8.1 overs the game was effectively over.
The result might have been even more emphatic had skipper J-P Duminy not bowled a no-ball when having Isuru Udana caught in the deep on 31. The lanky allrounder struck the free-hit for six and plenty more thereafter to finish unbeaten on 84 from only 48 balls with eight fours and four sixes.
'HE SHOWED HIS CHARACTER'
"He’s the kind of player we need. He showed his character," said Sri Lankan captain Lasith Malinga, who was disappointed with yet another top-order batting failure.
"It’s really frustrating. We always talk about getting a partnership."
Opener Hendricks included nine fours in his 46-ball innings while Van der Dussen launched three leg-side sixes to compliment his four fours from in a similarly paced innings from 44 deliveries.
Malinga was once again superb, bowling his first two overs at the beginning of the innings at a cost of just 10 runs and including the wicket of Aiden Markram (3) and then two more at the ‘death’ at a cost of just 16 for a final analysis of 4-0-26-1.
Duminy finished unbeaten on 33 from only 17 balls with a pair of fours and sixes but David Miller struggled to get going until he flicked the final ball of the innings to the square leg boundary to finish on nine not out from as many balls.
Duminy praised a "really good team performance" and the way Steyn and Morris had struck twice each with the new ball.
"There are a few things we can improve in the middle and end overs. Udana played a fantastic innings but we gave him a few lifelines," he said.
SOUTH AFRICA: Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, J-P Duminy (capt), Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), Chris Morris, Dwaine Pretorius, Dale Steyn, Lutho Sipamla, Tabraiz Shamsi
SRI LANKA: Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Kusal Mendis, Kamind Mendis, Dananjaya de Silva, Avishka Fernando, Angelo Perera, Thisara Perera, Akila Dhananjaya, Isuru Udana, Lasith Malinga (capt), Jeffrey Vandersay