South Africa vs Sri Lanka 2nd ODI 14/1/2012

Game played at East London.

SA won the toss and chose to bowl first, game was slightly delayed.

Sri Lanka scorecard.


WU Tharanga c †de Villiers b M Morkel 66 off 85 balls
TM Dilshan run out (du Plessis) 0 off 4 balls
KC Sangakkara c de Villiers b Tsotsobe 3 off 28 balls
LD Chandimal not out 92 off 115 balls
DPMD Jayawardene c Steyn b M Morkel 19 off 26 balls
KMDN Kulasekara c Peterson b Tsotsobe 22 off 13 balls
AD Mathews c M Morkel b Steyn 28 off 29 balls

Extras (lb 1, w 5)
Total (6 wickets; 50 overs) 236 (4.72 runs per over)

Sri Lanka started very slowly and after the first ten overs were 23/3, they showed much better application, specifically Tharanga who very slowly built his innings, he eventually succumbed to a edge of Morkel, after beginning to accellerate nicely, just when sri Lanka was poised to increase their run rate.

Shandamal was the star of the show with almost getting to a hundred.

Tsotsobe bowled very well in his first spell going for only 9 runs of his first 6 overs.

Steyn didn't bowl to badly but the pitch holds the ball up and Steyn didn't get the ball to go through at pace.

Morkel is looking to get his confidence back and his form.

Good start by SA, 75/0 after 15 overs, and as I type it, Smith hits the ball in the air.

OUT

Amla going well yet again, he is on a great streak in ODI's.

you two doing your best to jinx SA

What gets to me about our ODI batting is how easy we take it. There is absolutely no urgency to put Sri Lanka under pressure. We have lost mnay games in world cups this way, by not using any aggression at all.

We are behind the 8 ball, if we have a mini collapse then we are under pressure.

Why can we not just bat at 5 runs minimum per over and stay ahead of the run rate required.

you are nowhere near behind the 8 ball.

Rate required 5.58.

This partnership is going at 4 runs per over.

It was initially 4.5

Lose two wickets and then we are going to make heavy weather of this.

Not quite behind the 8-ball but they do seem to have a knack of putting pressure on themselves, especially with Malinga having half his over left.

150 up in 34.4 overs. They should have reached that in 30 overs, 28 balls ago. If they don't learn to stay ahead of the game to cever themselves in case something goes wrong, it will keep biting them in the backside

And there goes Kallis. current run rate 4.34. Lets see what happens in the next 5 overs.

At least it looks like AB has intent to increase the rate.

51 to win from 64 balls. you are not behind the 8 ball!

& 51 from 64 for Duminy with no fours & one six. well done sir.

This time it works out becuase since AB came on JP scored 21 runs from 20 balls, before AB de Villiers JP was on 30 off 44 balls.

The point I am trying to make I have watched many many games where this exact scenario comes where we lose a few wickets and the pressure is on. Do you guys remember the match where Malinga got 4 wickets in one over against us? We were chasing something like 200 runs and lost.

sri lanka's batting line up needs to change and quick, 237 isnt enough on most pitches, although i suppose its better than 43