South Africa A v Sri Lanka A, 2nd Test, Kimberley, 3rd day

South Africa A sweep to innings victory

Cricinfo staff

September 6, 2008

South Africa A 476 (Puttick 168, Petersen 121, Jacobs 100, de Silva 4-83) beat Sri Lanka A 180 (de Villiers 5-36, Tsotsobe 3-54) and 233 (Paranavitana 52, Abdullah 3-44) by an innings and 63 runs

South Africa A's bowlers once again dismissed Sri Lanka A quickly to help their team win the second four-day game and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Sri Lanka, who had lasted just 41 overs for their 180 in the first innings, began the day needing another 286 runs to make South Africa bat again. The task was onerous, but the response was tame. Barring opener Tharanga Paranavitana, none of the batsmen went past 50 as the visitors were bowled out in 58 overs, scoring 233.

South Africa had success in the third over of the day when Upul Tharanga was caught off Johann Louw. Paranavitana and Gihan Rupasinghe added 52 for the second wicket, before Yusuf Abdullah had Rupasinghe caught-behind. Wickets fell regularly from there on as Sri Lanka's middle order failed to forge big partnerships.

Thilina Kandamby made 42, but Sri Lanka were staring at defeat when he departed, with the score at 173 for 7. Legspinner Malinga Bandara provided some resistance, but his 25-ball 35 and No. 11 Ishara Udana's unbeaten 18 - following up on his 33 in the first innings - failed to push Sri Lanka into the lead. Abdullah finished with 3 for 44, while Lonwabo Tsotsobe, CJ de Villiers and Thandi Tshabalala took two wickets apiece.

The dismal batting performance came after Sri Lanka's domineering display in the first game, when they scored 749 for 5 declared at a rate of 4.51 runs per over in a drawn affair. The two teams will now head to Willowmore Park in Benoni for the third Test, which starts on September 11.

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