By Brian Thomas
It definitely was a good toss for Dasun Shanaka to win, with 3 spinners at his call at the R. Premadasa stadium in the first ODI against South Africa this afternoon.
Alaska Fernando made his 3rd ODI hundred with 10 Fours and 2 big hits over the ropes for his brilliantly executed 118 and proved he is a member of the big league.
Charith Akalanka joined the run feast of 300 runs a rarity with Sri Lanka in recent times with a 62 ball knock of 72, reminding the selectors that the number 5 spot in the team is his.
Avishka Fernando was involved in three important partnerships with Minod Bhanuka for the first wicket, accumulating 57, he then joined his deputy Dhananjaya de Silva and stitching 79 for the 3rd wicket, after which he rubbed salt on the off-color bowling of the protease, with a 97 run partnership with left-hander Akalanka.
Dhananjaya made 44, but was lucky whilst on 30 when Tabraiz Shamsi missed a caught and bowled opportunity after which Henrich Klassen missed a stumping that went begging off the left-arm wrist spinner when he was on 33. De Silva was ultimately stumped off the pick of the South African bowler Keshav Maharaj for 44.
Minod Bhanuka made 27 and was bowled by Aiden Markram the part-time off-spinner when attempting to slog sweep a slider, to give the South Africans the initial breakthrough.
Banuka Rajapaksha got a sucker punch when he tried to dispatch the third ball he faced off Keshav Maharaj, in which he was set up beautifully, trying to go over the long-on who came close in, to entice the left-hander for the mistake and was caught in the deep by Verreynne.
300 for 9 is certainly defendable taking into account that the pitch will get slower in the second half. The South African fast bowlers bowled back of a length and got punished. The spinners were very impressive. The pick was Maharaj 2 for 30, Shamsi a tag expensive 1 for 55 and Rabada was disappointing with the new ball but made amends in dearth overs to pick up a couple
Caption: Avishka Fernando and Charith Asalanka rally round to get Sri Lanka a defendable 300.
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