KANDY: Suranga Lakmal bowled a tight final over to help Sri Lanka win the rain-hit fourth one-dayer against South Africa by three runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method on Wednesday and snap their losing streak.
Having lost the five-match series following three defeats, Sri Lanka batted with conspicuous freedom to post 306-7 after rain had reduced the match to 39 overs-a-side. More rain interruptions left South Africa with a revised target of 191 from 21 overs but Lakmal (3-46) conceded four runs in the final over to seal a thrilling victory in the stop-start game. Put in to bat, Sri Lanka enjoyed their first 50-plus opening partnership of the series from Upul Tharanga (36) and Niroshan Dickwella (34) which laid the foundation for a big total.
Kusal Perera smashed 51 but it was the 109-run stand between Thisara Perera and Dasun Shanaka that took Sri Lanka past the 300-mark. Shanaka clobbered five sixes in his 34-ball blitz as Sri Lanka plundered 105 runs from the last 10 overs. South Africa were initially set a target of 308 under the Duckworth-Lewis system but further rain interventions left them needing 191 runs from 21 overs. (Reuters)
