Sri Lanka thrash South Africa

Sri Lanka turned the form book upside in the third match of the Morocco Cup on Thursday by handing South Africa a 93-run thrashing to move from the bottom of the triangular standings to the top.

An unbeaten 73 from veteran batsman Aravinda de Silva guided Sri Lanka to an impressive 267 for seven before the bowlers, led once again by the inspirational Muttiah Muralitharan, bundled South Africa out for 174.

Muralitharan ended with astonishing figures one for 12 from eight overs to stifle the South Africa challenge.

The margin of victory earned Sanath Jayasuriya's team a bonus point which puts them ahead of South Africa and Pakistan on five points to the other teams' four. All three have won one match and lost one at the half way point of the competition.

De Silva played the master innings, his runs coming from 84 balls. He struck just four boundaries but the team had been given an explosive start by Jayasuriya after he won the toss and elected to bat first.

The left hander began in typically exhilarating style by slapping fast bowling Roger Telemachus for a pair of sixes over cover point in the fourth over and then pulling Shaun Pollock for another one just three overs later.

TWO FOURS

An opening partnership of 84 was ended when Jacques Kallis trapped Marvan Atapattu lbw for 35 in the 17th over and Jayasuriya's innings came to an end one over later when he steered an Allan Donald lifter to Shaun Pollock in the gully. His 49 spanned 58 balls and contained two fours and three sixes.

Kumar Sangakkara contributed a fluent 41 before driving Lance Klusener to mid on while Mahela Jayawardene also squandered a good start when he holed to long on after making 32 from 37 balls.

Chaminda Vaas (18) and Russel Arnold (10) both hit sixes in the closing overs as Sri Lanka tried to capitalise on an excellent platform while de Silva was happy to rotate the strike.

Opener Gary Kirsten attempted to keep his team alive during a constantly stuttering run chase reaching 55 from 65 balls before attempting a third run to Mahela Jayawardene and being run out by a half a metre.

Fast bowler Dilhara Fernando struck two early blows to unsettle the top order and Jayasuriya wrapped the innings up with three wickets at the death to finish with three for 23 from five overs.

Mail Cricket Editor