Blow by blow: Sri Lanka punish clumsy Proteas, win T20 series

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Sri Lanka innings:

20th over: Sri Lanka have done it! You’ve got to give them credit for exploiting a really poor effort in the field by the Proteas. They clinch the T20 series 2-1.

19th over: Drama! Seekuge Prasanna is winning this for Sri Lanka. Phehlukwayo lost composure in that over and pays the price. SL 159/5.

18th over: Paterson recovers well and bowls a really good over. South Africa still in this. SL 144/5.

OUT! Good work from Dane Paterson, who runs out Kusal Mendis after he tries to steal a quick single. SL 142/5.

17th over: Parnell has totally lost it. Seekuge Prasanna smashes him all over for 19 runs. SL 138/4.

16th over: Superb spell from Imran Tahir. He finishes with 3/18 in his 4-over spell. SL 118/4.

OUT! Tahir again. Dhananjaya de Silva, who was such a perfect partner for Dickwella, also loses his cool, dances down the track and is stumped. SL 118/4.

OUT! It’s that man again! The pressure that was built in the previous over clearly influences Dickwella as he tries to slog-sweep Imran Tahir but is caught. He really is South Africa’s go-to guy. SL 116/3.

15th over: The disappointment of what he felt was Dickwella’s edge previously has motivated Andile Phehlukwayo. He bowls a magnificent, varied over that only yields two runs. SL 116/2.

14th over: Dickwella is doing the business for Sri Lanka. He targets Jon-Jon Smuts and it pays off as he smashes the left-arm spinner for a four and a six. SL 114/2.

13th over: Sri Lanka go past 100. The Proteas need a wicket urgently … if they can hold on to a catch. SL 102/2.

12th over: He rode his luck but Nilushan Dickwella reaches a fine, attacking half-century. The left-hander is guiding his side to within sight of a series win. SL 95/2.

11th over: Phehlukwayo wrests a bit of control back with a good second over. SL 85/2.

10th over: Dickwella continues to flourish as Sri Lanka look on target. SL 82/2.

9th over: Andile Phehlukwayo’s iffy series continues as he bowls all over the place and Dickwella duly pounces. There was an appeal for a caught behind but no edge. It wasn’t good to see how badly Phehlukwayo reacted to that. SL 73/2.

8th over: Tahir keeps the pressure on with an economical over. SL 60/2.

7th over: A hat-trick of dropped catches! First Dane Paterson grasses one at deep fine leg, then Mosehle drops an edged bouncer and to cap it off, Parnell drops a caught and bowled chance. Absolutely crazy! SL 55/2.

6th over: Brilliant first over from the Proteas leggie. SL 48/2.

OUT! Imran Tahir strikes first ball! It’s the slider and Chandimal misreads the line. He’s castled. SL 45/2.

5th over: Typical Parnell. Starts really well before souring the over with a rank long hop that Dickwella smashes. That said, he was unlucky to see Dinesh Chandimal dropped by Imran Tahir after skying a pull. SL 45/1.

OUT! Wayne Parnell bowls a slower ball first up and fools Tharanga into a pull. Comfortable catch at mid-on. SL 36/1.

4th over: Ngidi drops Upul Tharanga at fine leg but Dane Paterson can only take cold comfort. He’s really looked nervy on his debut and bowled all over the place. SL 36/0.

3rd over: Nilushan Dickwella looks dangerous again but Ngidi does well in his second over, just conceding six. The Islanders nonetheless on target. SL 24/0.

1st over: The extra pace of Lungi Ngidi helps the Islanders get off to a good start. SL 9/0

South African innings:

20th over: Brilliant from Mosehle. He smashes three sixes in an over costing 21 runs. The little keeper has given the Proteas a fine total. He ends on an unbeaten 32 off 15. SA 169/5.

19th over: Mangaliso Mosehle plays a fine sweep shot for four but the pace off the ball is proving very effective. SA 148/5.

18th over: That huge wicket has made all of the difference. Proteas now struggling to reach 160. SA 141/5.

OUT! De Villiers slices a full delivery to point. Oh dear. But it was an excellent return for the talisman. 63 off 44 is a fine effort. SA 135/5.

17th over: De Villiers gives impetus with a six but somehow the Sri Lankans manage to hang on. SA 135/4.

OUT! Behardien takes on the outfield and loses. He’s run out after an excellent throw. SA 134/4.

16th over: Nuwan Kulasekara shows his experience in frustrating the batters. Another mediocre over for the Proteas. SA 124/3.

15th over: That Miller loss has dampened the mood to an extent. But De Villiers is still there on 53. SA 119/3.

OUT! David Miller tries to sweep Asela Gunaratne but he gets more of a top edge and is caught at deep square. Disappointing. SA 117/3.

14th over: The dangerous Sandakan bowls out. Another excellent spell of 1/23 in 4. SA 109/2.

OUT! Hendricks will be kicking himself for that! Sandakan beats him on the drive with one that spins the other way. Dinesh Chandimal misses the stumping chance initially but Hendricks misjudges how far he is out of his crease. He never places his foot further back. He’s gone for 41. SA 107/2.

13th over: Another six for De Villiers as he goes on his knees and laps it over fine leg. Hendricks is doing well to rotate the strike. SA 107/1.

12th over: Finally! De Villiers cuts loose with a typical dance down the ground to hit Sandakan for six. SA 98/1.

11th over: De Villiers and Hendricks clicking well and running superbly between the wickets. They’re keeping the score ticking without taking undue risks. SA 88/1.

10th over: Halfway point. Lovely platform for the Proteas. SA 79/1.

9th over: De Villiers is finding his range. He scores 13 off the over without any apparent effort. Danger signs for Sri Lanka. SA 73/1.

8th over: Another uneventful over. Laskhan Sandakan continues to confound with his variations though AB de Villiers looks comfortable. SA 60/1.

7th over: One wonders if the Proteas might be better served setting a platform here. It’s undeniably a good pitch but its not overly quick. Perhaps AB de Villiers is just warming up… SA 55/1.

6th over: Hendricks looking in fine touch. His off-drive off Udana was particularly special. SA make 48 in the powerplay. That’s about par. SA 48/1.

5th over: Splendid over from Prasanna. He only concedes 1. SA 36/1.

OUT! Smuts tries to sweep Seekkuge Prasanna first up but misses and is adjudged LBW. SA 36/1 (4.2 overs)

4th over: Sri Lanka have pulled things back to an extent. Smuts and Hendricks perhaps trying to force the pace a bit too much. SA 35/0

3rd over: The left-armed Isuru Udana was one of the main destroyers at the Wanderers and he looks good once again. Only concedes five and sees Smuts dropped at mid-wicket. Poor fielding from the visitors. SA 27/0

2nd over: Reeza Hendricks also gets in on the act. He also punches crisply off the back foot. This looks a great surface. SA 22/0

1st over: Jon-Jon Smuts looks ready to make a substantial score. He hits De Silva for a straight drive and a beautiful punch off the back-foot to the boundary. Excellent start. SA 10/0

17.32: But there are two other changes as well. Reeza Hendricks replaces Heino Kuhn at the top of the order and Cobras quick Dane Paterson is in for Aaron Phangiso.

Proteas: Reeza Hendricks, Jon-Jon Smuts, AB de Villiers, David Miller, Farhaan Behardien, Mangaliso Mosehle, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Imran Tahir, Dane Paterson, Lungi Ngidi.

17.31: Everybody is naturally excited that AB de Villiers is back. He’ll be batting at No 3.

17.30: Welcome to the deciding T20 between the Proteas and Sri Lanka at Newlands. Farhaan Behardien has won the toss and feels safe rather putting a total on the board than chasing.

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