CENTURION, South Africa, CMC – Tillakaratne Dilshan scored his third One-day International to set things up, and the bowlers – led by Ajantha Mendis – cooperated to hand Sri Lanka a 55-run victory under the Duckworth-Lewis Method over hosts South Africa in the rain-affected opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy yesterday.
Dilshan struck 16 fours and one six from 92 balls, as Sri Lanka – sent in to bat – posted a challenging 319 for eight from their allocation of 50 overs in their Group-B match at SuperSport Park.
Mendis then snared three wickets for 30 runs from seven overs, as South Africa stumbled to 206 for seven from 37.4 overs before rain brought an early conclusion to the match.
South Africa suffered an early setback, when Angelo Mathews bowled Hashim Amla – opening with the home team captain Graeme Smith – for two in the third over.
But a stand of 81 between Smith and Kallis put the Proteas back on course and they wobbled the rest of the way until the rain put them out of their misery.
Mendis bowled Smith for the top score of 58 from 44 balls in the 15th over before the mercurial spin bowler bore a hole in the chances of the home team with the scalps of Kallis for 41 and Jean-Paul Duminy for a duck off successive balls.
South Africa subsided to 113 for four in the 21st over, and continued to bleed wickets until the rain brought an early close.
Earlier, the Sri Lanka innings mirrored the South African’s, except that Mahela Jayawardene provided substance in the second half of their batting with 77 from 61 balls.
Sri Lanka lost Sanath Jayasuriya also in the third over, when Dale Steyn him trapped lbw for 10.
But Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara joined Dilshan, and they added 158 for the second wicket to give their side the launching pad.
Dilshan drove Albie Morkel over extra cover for his 11th four to reach his 50 from 38 balls, and Sangakkara passed 50 from 69 balls, when he punched a delivery Johan Botha to long-on.
The Sri Lanka captain remained long enough to shepherd Dilshan to the first hundred of the competition from 87 balls, when the Sri Lanka opener tickled a delivery from Duminy to deep fine leg for a single.
But Sangakkara was dismissed next ball, when he drove a return catch to the same bowler to leave Sri Lanka 174 for two off 28 overs.
Dilshan fell two overs later, when he upper-cut a short, wide ball from Steyn and was caught at third man before Jayawardene dominated a stand of 116 for the fourth wicket with Thilan Samaraweera before they fell off consecutive balls in the 47th over.
Steyn ended with three for 47 from nine overs, and Parnell collected three for 79 from his statutory allotment of 10 overs.
The hosts have the chance to rebound, when they meet New Zealand tomorrow while Sri Lanka tackle England the following day.
