A dazzling 110 in 94 balls from Viran Chamuditha enabled Sri Lanka to beat South Africa by five wickets in their ICC U19 World Cup match at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Thursday.
The result left South Africa without a victory in the Super Sixes – and only one win, against Tanzania, in the competition – and gives Sri Lanka a chance of making the semifinals. They are currently on six points, two behind Group One leaders Australia who have already qualified. Their fate will be decided on Friday when Afghanistan meet Ireland in Harare. Victory for Afghanistan will almost certainly see them nudge past Sri Lanka because of their vastly superior run-rate. An upset win for the Irish, however, will see Sri Lanka into the semis.
Chamuditha’s batting hero is Sanath Jayasuriya and there was more than a hint of the great opener’s flamboyant style in his innings which was studded with 13 fours and a six. Chasing 262 for victory after South Africa had won the toss and batted first, the Sri Lankan reply was built on a superb second-wicket partnership of 143 in 130 balls between Chamuditha and Senuja Wekunagoda (48 in 63 balls) after the early loss of opener Dimantha Mahavithana who was caught at slip off pace bowler Michael Kruiskamp.
Indeed, it was only during the opening overs from pacemen Kruiskamp, JJ Basson and Corne Botha that South Africa looked dangerous, moving the new ball through the air and off the pitch. But after the shine came off the ball and it softened, Chamuditha and Wekunagoda looked untroubled as they scored at more than six runs an over.
Eventually Wekunagoda played on to Botha, who also had Chamuditha caught behind at the second attempt by wicketkeeper Lethabo Phahlamohlaka. But by then Sri Lanka were so in advance of even the most modest required run-rate that they were able to cruise to victory with four overs in hand.
Player of the match Chamuditha showed plenty of wristy skill and cool temperament in his innings, his second hundred in the competition after his 192 against Japan. He is surely a talent for the future.
Earlier, another promising batter, South Africa opener Jorich van Schalkwyk, also struck a fine century as he guided his team to a respectable 261 for seven. But despite his efforts, it was legspinner Vigneshwaran Akash’s superb 4/46 who enabled Sri Lanka to maintain a modicum of control.
The best batting conditions for the South Africans were up front and Van Schalkwyk and Adnaan Lagadien took full advantage against some erratic Sri Lankan pace bowling to compile 96 in 113 balls to give the innings real momentum.
But the introduction of the spinners, and in particular Akash, slowed South Africa’s progress. It was Akash who broke the opening stand by bowling Lagadien with a superb googly that speared through the gap between the bat and pad of the right-hander who departed for a valuable 46 (57 balls, 6x4s, 1x6).
Akash then repeated this feat shortly afterwards, clipping Bulbulia’s off-stump with another googly. South Africa’s star batter in this competition, Jason Rowles, then played an indifferent stroke, mistiming a lofted drive to long-on and Sri Lanka were right back in the game.
Shortly after Van Schalkwyk went to his 50, he was dropped – off the bowling of Akash – by Kavija Gamege at short midwicket and he made Sri Lanka pay dearly for the miss. The powerful opener struck his first ton of the competition and then, freed of mental constraints, powered three consecutive fours off Akash before departing when he mistimed a full-toss to deep midwicket where Wekunagoda ran in to take a good low catch. Van Schalkwyk finished with 116 off 130 balls in a mature knock that included 13 fours and two sixes.
After Van Schalkwyk’s dismissal the South African run-rate slowed and Akash claimed his fourth victim, bowling Lethabo Phahlamohlaka with a quicker arm ball to complete a superb spell of bowling.
South Africa responded well in the death overs, however, with Paul James striking an unbeaten 37 in 36 balls while Kruiskamp struck a six and a four as the pair added a useful 40 off 31 balls to give South Africans something to defend.
SOUTH AFRICA U19: Adnaan Lagadien, Jorich van Schalkwyk, Muhammed Bulbulia (capt), Jason Rowles, Bandile Mbatha, Paul James, Lethalo Phahlamohlaka (wk), Corne Botha, Michael Kruiskamp, JJ Basson, Enathi Kitshini
SRI LANKA U19: Viran Chamuditha, Dimantha Mahavithana, Senuja Wekunagoda, Vimath Dinsara (capt), Kavija Gamage, Chamika Heenatigala, Dulnith Sigera, Chamarinder Nethsara (wk), Sethmika Seneviratne, Rasith Nimsara, Vigneshwaran Akash