South Africa clinch ODI series v Sri Lanka

18 Jan 2012, 1:16 pm   -   Source: AAP
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South Africa have clinched a series victory for new ODI skipper AB de Villiers in the third one-day international against Sri Lanka in Bloemfontein.

Francois 'Faf' du Plessis made the top score and pulled off a spectacular run-out on Tuesday as South Africa's new ODI captain AB de Villiers clinched his maiden series victory in the third one-day international against World Cup finalists Sri Lanka at Chevrolet Park.

Mainly due to Du Plessis making 72 off 74 balls, South Africa were four ahead of the Duckworth/Lewis par score when rain stopped play.

The home side were on 5-179 after 34 overs in reply to Sri Lanka's 9-266 and the result gave South Africa a winning 3-0 lead in the five-match series and extended the tourists' poor run to six successive one-day defeats.

Run-outs played a crucial role in both innings.

Sri Lanka made a competitive total but it might have been considerably higher if their two star batsmen, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, had not been run out, both by direct hits.

Sangakkara, batting at No.3, stroked his way to 38 off 37 balls before being run out in a superb piece of fielding by Du Plessis, while Jayawardene was run out for 15.

"Mahela's and Sanga's run-outs cost us 20 runs," said captain Tillakaratne Dilshan, who added that some sloppy fielding by his team had cost another 20 runs when South Africa batted.

Lasith Malinga made two early strikes in the South African innings, bowling Graeme Smith and Colin Ingram, and South Africa slumped to 3-52 when Alviro Petersen missed a reverse sweep and was lbw to Dilshan.

Du Plessis and JP Duminy put on 61 in a fourth-wicket stand, but both fell to run-outs.

Rain started to fall in the 33rd over, at the end of which South Africa were one behind according to the Duckworth-Lewis system.

Despite senior batsmen Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis having been released from the South African squad, Du Plessis was promoted to No.4 in the South African order as part of a rotation policy with De Villiers and Duminy.

He responded with some crisp strokeplay in an innings which included seven fours. He was suffering cramp towards the end of his innings which he admitted contributed to him being run out.

De Villiers said he would have preferred the match to have gone the distance.

"I thought we were in a good position although the game was in the balance," he said.

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