South Africa dodge rain, beat Sri Lanka to get first win
- Pacy Ismail claims three wickets, Kapp-van Neikerk partnership ensures South Africa win
After Sri Lanka’s first game was washed out on Saturday, they suffered a seven-wicket loss to South Africa, who began their tournament with a strong showing with both bat and ball. As rain fell intermittently, threatening the game, South Africa stayed ahead of the par score throughout their chase of Sri Lanka’s 99 for eight, although DLS calculations were eventually not required.
After losing the openers cheaply, Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Neikerk ensured there were no further hiccups for South Africa, taking them to a safe position before Kapp was dismissed. Both players also claimed a wicket each with the ball, entering the select club of players with more than 1000 runs and 50 wickets in T20I in the same game.
South Africa won the toss and chose to bowl in conditions that favoured their five pronged seam attack. Kapp and Shabnim Ismail responded, taking two wickets and allowing no boundaries to Sri Lanka in the first six overs. The duo bowled with venom, Ismail clocking 124 kmph with one delivery, and Kapp got the prize wicket of Chamari Athapaththu in that spell, LBW to a full inswinger.
As wickets kept falling, Shashikala Siriwardene provided resistance, using her feet against the pace bowlers to counter the swing they were getting. But when she was bowled for 21 (27b, 2x4, 1x6) in the 12th over, Sri Lanka had managed just 44 for four and seemed in danger of being bowled out for a paltry score.
Some indiscipline crept into the South African bowling at this point, as they conceded 19 wides in the innings. Dilani Manodara (20, 12b, 4x4) added cheeky runs in the last few overs, before Ismail ran through the lower order to finish with three wickets.
In reply, Sri Lanka claimed two early wickets, removing both South African openers, but then Kapp (38, 44b, 4x4, 1x6) and van Neikerk (33, 45b, 2x4) combined for a 67-run partnership. They countered the early swing from the pace bowlers by standing outside their crease, and kept ticking along once the spinners came on. Kapp was dismissed with South Africa needing 27 runs to win, but the pair had done enough, the win coming in the 19th over.
Both teams return to action in two days time, Sri Lanka facing Bangladesh, and South Africa facing the Windies on 14 November at the same venue.
Scores in brief:
South Africa defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground
Sri Lanka: 99 -8, 20 overs (Sahshikala Siriwardene 21, Dilani Manodara 20; Shabnim Ismail 3-10)
South Africa: 102-3, 18.3 overs (Marizanne Kapp 38, Dane van Neikerk 33 not out)
