Sri Lanka 299 for 6 (Amla 103, du Plessis 75, Pradeep 2-54) v Sri Lanka
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Hashim Amla became the quickest to 25 ODI tons © Getty Images
A velvet 103 off 115 balls from Hashim Amla, and an efficient 75 off 70 from Faf du Plessis formed the basis of South Africa’s 299 for 6. It perhaps reads like a par score in the context of the totals that have been mounted in England in recent days, but represented, nevertheless, an imposing challenge for Sri Lanka, given the tricky nature of this Oval surface.
While that pair’s second wicket stand gave the innings its body, JP Duminy cracked 38 not out off 20 to give South Africa some legs on the final stretch. Sri Lanka, though, might reflect that keeping a powerful South Africa middle order to 78 off the last 10 overs – which they had approached with seven wickets in hand – represented a small victory, particularly as death bowling has been an area of concern over the past year.
Nuwan Pradeep, who was perhaps a surprise inclusion, was the best of the bowlers, claiming two wickets for 54, despite having du Plessis dropped on the fine leg boundary on 8 by Lasith Malinga.
Malinga’s own return to ODIs went roughly as expected: he was slower by at least a dozen kilometres per hour than he had been in his heyday, but still possessed the wiles to keep batsmen muzzled throughout the innings. His final analysis was a respectable 0 for 57. His work in the field, however, was downright shoddy, especially in comparison to the efforts of his teammates, who effected two run outs, and held all their catches otherwise.
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Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo’s Sri Lanka correspondent. @andrewffernando
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo