Sri Lanka vs. South Africa: Scorecard, Highlights from 1st Innings
The opening World Cup quarter-final takes place on Wednesday when South Africa face Sri Lanka in Sydney, Australia.
Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, the tournament's leading scorer after the group stage, will hope to add to his already impressive tally of 496 runs in the day-night fixture at the SCG.
Sangakkara and team-mate Mahela Jayawardene know that they must be victorious over South Africa if they are to extend their illustrious international careers for at least one more match.
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However, to do so he will have to cope with a bowling attack that includes the dangerous pace pairing of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, as well as leg-spinner Imran Tahir.
The Proteas have never won a knockout fixture at a World Cup but can at least draw on the memories of a one-day series victory in Sri Lanka last year.
South Africa captain AB de Villiers has seen his team score over 400 twice in the tournament so far, though they have also disappointed with the bat in defeats to India and Pakistan.
The pressure is on both teams as they look to book a place in the last four.
WICKET! SL 133 all out (Malinga c Miller b Tahir 3)
So that is the end of that. All the talk of batting being Sri Lanka's strongest disciplines and they've lasted a grand total of 37.2 overs. Pace wasn't even the major weapon for the Proteas either, as Tahir picked up four wickets and Duminy claimed a hat-trick.
BACK ON! The rain proved to be brief. Sri Lanka had little respite and now find themselves back out in the middle hoping the tail can wag in rather epic fashion.
WICKET! SL 127-9 (Sangakkara c Miller b Morkel 45)
And now Kumar's vigil comes to an end. He tries to uppercut Morkel but only ends up steering a catching opportunity to the fielder at third man. As he walks off the field for the final time for Sri Lanka in one-day cricket, the heavens open and we will get a break for rain in Sydney.
SL 126-8 (36 overs)
Sangakkara has no option now but to cut loose. He takes the returning Abbott for 11 runs, all the while making sure no.10 batsman Dushmantha Chameera doesn't get exposed to the paceman.
WICKET! SL 116-8 (Kaushal lbw Duminy 0)
Debutant Kaushal plays all around a straight delivery from Duminy to be trapped bang in front first ball for a duck. Now with Duminy taking a wicket to finish his previous over and now getting two in two at the start of the next it can mean only one thing—he has a WORLD CUP HAT-TRICK!
WICKET! SL 116-7 (Kulasekara c De Kock b Duminy1)
And the gloom deepens for Sri Lanka. Nuwan Kulasekara had appeared to get an edge through to wicketkeeper De Kock, though umpire Rod Tucker was at first unmoved. Not sure if he gave the nod to the batsman or Kulasekara walked, but either way he's gone for a single.
WICKET! SL 115-6 (Perera c Rossouw b Tahir 0)
Perera comes in...and Perera quickly goes back to the pavilion again. The left-hander, a dangerous hitter when on form, edges Tahir to first slip via a sizeable deflection off wicketkeeper De Kock's gloves. Rossouw keeps his eye on the ball and snaffles the catch. Sri Lanka in all sorts now.
WICKET! SL 114-5 (33 overs)
Mathews perishes, and right before the batting power play has to be taken, too. He tried to loft Duminy's off-spin over mid-wicket, yet instead simply provided Du Plessis with his third catch of the day. It was struck firmly but the fielder barely had to move from his position inside the circle.
SL 105-4 (30 overs)
South Africa smelling blood in the water. Morkel and Steyn both come back for short spells, knowing another wicket could really crack this Sri Lankan innings wide open. Morkel in particular troubled Mathews, who took a nasty short ball on the glove and needed treatment.
SL 93-4 (27 overs)
Morkel breaks up the run of overs from spinners, South Africa sensing another wicket would kick the Sri Lankan door through. At the moment, it's still only ajar with Sangakkara at the crease.
WICKET! SL 81-4 (23.1 overs)
Jayawardene got away with a close lbw call, but there's nothing to save him when he slams a Tahir half-tracker straight into the hands of Du Plessis at mid-wicket. Never looked comfortable at the crease
SL 81-3 (23 overs)
South Africa whizzing through the overs from Duminy and Tahir—the pair have combined so far to concede 32 from their nine overs.
UMPIRE'S CALL!
Jayawardene survives a review for an lbw appeal. Bowler Tahir was so certain it was out he appealed on no fewer than three occasions himself. However, the DRS shows that it was umpire's call in terms of where the batsman was struck on the front pad. After that, it was going on to cannon into middle and off stick.
WICKET! SL 69/3 (19.1 overs)
Thirimanne had played so well to reach 41, yet has given his wicket away rather cheaply. He has prodded a simple return catch back to a delighted Tahir. The bowler celebrated with a seriously rapid sprint towards the boundary before a team-mate finally cut short his journey.
SL 64-2 (18 overs)
The middle overs, the period of play when it becomes tough not to nod off. South Africa have spin on from both ends as Sangakkara starts to show the occasional sign of frustration at his lack of runs.
SL 50-2 (15 overs)
South Africa turn to spin for the first time, though Duminy gets the chance to turn his arm over before Tahir. Sri Lanka creeping along at a sloth-like pace.
SL 35-2 (10 overs)
The opening power play stint ends with Sri Lanka starting to recover from that shocking start. Thirimanne is the man right now—he's scored 27 of the 31 runs so far put on with Sangakkara, who has managed two from 21 deliveries.
SL 27-2 (9 overs)
Thirimanne continues to show off his wonderful cover drive. His second attempt at the shot in the Morkel over gets him four over the top of cover. His first effort, however, had been sliced just wide of the diving fielder at backward point.
SL 17-2 (7 overs)
From the 16th delivery he has faced, Sangakkara finally gets off the mark. Morkel rather spoils his first over with a no ball that resulted in a free hit. Thirimanne ends up playing a tennis shot to mid-wicket, meaning the chance results in no extra runs being scored.
SL 16-2 (6 overs)
The Sri Lankan supporters come to life when Thirimanne drives Abbott for back-to-back boundaries. Both are glorious drives through the cover area.
Dale Steyn needs some treatment on a neck problem. He did celebrate in a rather spectacular manner after the wicket of Dilshan. He's been causing pain for Sri Lanka's top order so far.
WICKET! SL 4-2
Dilshan gone now, and it's another good catch behind the wicket. A Steyn outswinger is nicked and the fit-again Faf du Plessis makes an excellent grab tumbling low to his right. That's a seven-ball duck for Tillakaratne.
WICKET! SL 3-1
Perera had been trying to wipe the cover off pretty much every delivery he had faced. The last of them sees him make some contact, only it's an edge that wicketkeeper de Kock takes diving to his left.
SL 3-0 (1 over)
Perera gets off the mark with a flash to third man that nets him a couple of runs. He keeps strike with a thick edge to the same fielder. Steyn seems fired up in the afternoon heat.
We're about to get underway in Sydney. Sri Lanka have the chance to crank up the pressure on South Africa by setting them a tall order when it's their turn to bat. The Sri Lankans also know that batting is comfortably their stronger suit.
3:10 AM Weds, Mar 18
So, Sri Lanka are without the experienced Rangana Herath. Instead they have selected a mystery spinner in Tharindu Kaushal who will be making his ODI debut in a World Cup quarter-final. No pressure then.
South Africa, meanwhile, have left out Vernon Philander and opted to go with Kyle Abbott as the third frontline seamer. They have four bowlers, meaning JP Duminy and skipper AB de Villiers will have to help fill in for 10 overs.
3:00 AM Weds, Mar 18
2:40 AM Weds, Mar 18
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