Malinga takes 5 but Lanka loses miserably

Firebrand La s i t h Malinga took five wickets in his 100th ODI appearance but Sri Lanka lost the first limited over encounter with South Africa miserably by being all out for its lowest ever OID score of 43 against massive 301 by Proteas.

None of the leading batsmen could muster double figures as Lankans got out in 20.1 overs. Sri Lanka's previous lowest OID score was 55 against West Indies in Sharjah in December 1986. Yesterday's score of 43 is the fourth lowest score ever by a team in the history of ODI. Earlier on a century from Hashim Amla helped South Africa set an imposing target of 302 in the first of five one-day internationals (ODIs) against Sri Lanka at Boland Park on Wednesday. Amla batted flawlessly for 45.3 overs when he surprisingly edged Lasith Malinga to wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara after scoring 112 runs off 128 balls, with eight boundaries. Playing in his 100th ODI, Malinga struck early to dismiss Graeme Smith (6) in the third over. Smith tried to force a shorter delivery to the offside but got a thin edge to Sangakkara, who took a superb catch to his left. Amla and Jacques Kallis set a new record against Sri Lanka for the second-wicket, putting on 144 runs, off 158 balls, including 13 fours and a six.

The previous highest was 111 set by Kallis and Boeta Dippenaar, also in Paarl, in 2000/1. The partnership ended when Amla played straight to Mahela Jayawardene in the covers and the fielder threw to Kallis’ end and nailed the stumps from an awkward angle. Kallis was well short of his crease after making an elegant 72 runs, off 80 balls, (6x4, 1x6). AB de Villiers, in his first match as captain, made batting look easy as he raced to his half-century off 36 balls, smashing a four off a full toss from Tillakaratne Dilshan to bring up his milestone. Amla reached his ninth ODI century, and first against Sri Lanka, in 114 balls with eight fours. The pair combined for a run-a-ball 50 and went on to share a 91-run stand off 80 balls before De Villiers (52) was bowled by a yorker from Nuwan Kulasekara. The highest ODI wicket- taker in 2011 (48 wickets), Malinga completed his 10 overs with finesse and achieved his fifth fivewicket haul, conceding 54 runs. – Sapa