More Malinga mayhem?

Today’s match in Paarl with South Africa will be Malinga’s 100th one-day international appearance

Lasith Malinga knows what it is like to have batsmen thrashing about for pads in the South African dressingroom.

It may be almost five years ago, but the 28-year-old Sri Lanka paceman will remember that day at the Providence stadium in Guyana like it was yesterday.

South Africa will recall it as the time they managed to sneak home by one wicket but will also want to forget it for the sheer panic of the occasion.

Hat-tricks are rarely achieved in international cricket but Malinga went one better in that Cricket World Cup Super Eights match in 2007 as he claimed four wickets off consecutive deliveries to send the Proteas into a terrifying freefall.

“It was pretty stressful,” admitted Graeme Smith, who was then South African ODI captain. “I even caught one or two of the guys having a cigarette.”

South Africa needed only four runs with five wickets in hand to reach a target of 210, when Malinga yorked Shaun Pollock with the fifth ball of his eighth over.

Andrew Hall then scooped a catch to cover off the next ball. Jacques Kallis took a single off the next over from Chaminda Vaas but was then caught behind for 86 off the first ball of Malinga’s ninth over.

New batsman Makhaya Ntini had his stumps scattered by a fast yorker as Malinga became the first bowler in one-day international history to take four wickets off successive balls.

Robin Peterson edged a boundary to clinch the one-wicket victory but Malinga had made his presence felt.

The Sri Lankan trump card arrived in South Africa last week having missed the test series between the two countries. He will be devoid of any mental scarring the Sri Lankans may have suffered during their 10-wicket whipping in the third test at Newlands and will also be determined to make an immediate impact.

Malinga, 28, has a reputation for being a match-winner and is the only bowler to have taken three hat-tricks in one-day internationals.

His toe-crushing yorker is hugely effective at the end of an innings, as is his ability to cleverly disguise and vary his pace.

He can also swing the ball up front which will not thrill Smith, who will now have to battle for his place in the side without the comfort of the captaincy.

Wednesday’s match in Paarl will be Malinga’s 100th one-day international appearance but, remarkably, only his second against the Proteas in South Africa.