38.6 bowled 'im, no century for Dilshan, it was a slower ball that tailed in towards the stumps, it was full and heading for middle, Dilshan looking to drive to the on-side, he doesn't cover for the movement and that crashes into middle, a rare moment of joy for South Africa 212/3
    4.2 Morkel gets the first wicket, shortish ball outside off, Perera goes for the pull, bottom-edges it through to the keeper, big appeal and the umpire doesn't need much convincing, another single-digit score for Kusal, big disappointment for a whole bunch of our readers 13/1
    33.4 superb catch from JP Duminy, SA were looking for a bit of magic to get the wicket, Duminy provides it, a terrific-looking lofted driven from Thirimanne, again not full power on it, Duminy has to move towards the boundary to get under that, he keeps his eyes on the ball and connects that well, tumbles over after taking that catch, but he makes sure the ball remains in his palm, end of a solid innings from Thirimanne 176/2
    not out
    45.2 straight to Miller at long-off. It was a full delivery outside off and Mathews makes room to swing his arms but he hands a simple catch to David Miller at the boundary 257/4
    not out
    16 (lb 8, w 8)
    307/4 (50 Overs, RR: 6.14)
    Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Kusal Perera, 4.2 ov), 2-176 (Lahiru Thirimanne, 33.4 ov), 3-212 (Tillakaratne Dilshan, 38.6 ov), 4-257 (Angelo Mathews, 45.2 ov)
    M Morkel1007817.802913050
    LL Tsotsobe1025215.20337000
    R McLaren1004714.70346010
    F Behardien402807.0073000
    JP Duminy704606.57152200
    AM Phangiso904815.33265020
    5.4 He's gone. His stumps are broken the first ball he faces against the spinner. This one turns into the left hander, but de Kock playing for the ball turning away from him cant bring his defensive bat in line with the ball and he's clean bowled 35/1
    9.5 Another one for Sennanayake. And its the big one. Amla misreads the one that goes the other way and is trapped in front of the stumps. He moves back to turn the ball to leg, tries to correct his shot and plays straight but still misses it and is struck on the pads. 60/2
    10.4 Goes back again and is caught plumb in front. Dlishan is absolutely elated, skipping about and waving his arms with a big smile on his face. It is a length ball to which he goes back and Duminy tries to defend it but misses completely 61/3
    13.2 Perera's uncanny ability to take wickets is on show again, just his second ball, it is outside off, du Plessis looks to carve it through the off side, he can only nick it through to the keeper, another poor day for Faf, no footwork at all from Faf, very loose as he played outside off 69/4
    32.1 And he gets a wicket off his first ball. He makes a little room for himself and heaves the ball into the off side off the front foot, but he neither gets the elevation, nor had he placed it well. Goes straight to point who takes a simple catch 137/7
    19.3 the end of Behardien, will it be the end of his international career for a while? utterly uncomfortable in the middle, looking to slog that to the leg side, hit high on the bat and it loops to give mid-off a simple catch, 1 off 22 balls is truly awful 85/5
    19.5 oh dear, there goes Miller as well, what a shambolic performance this is turning out to be, a nick through to the keeper, once again the batsman doesn't move his feet and chases the ball, easy for Sangakkara, AB watches helplessly from the other end 85/6
    42.4 Mendis strikes again, McLaren's vigil is over, Mendis came round the wicket this time, a slower one with plenty of flight, a top edge from McLaren as he looks to chop that, on to the keeper's pads and loops up for first slip, Mendis has three 171/9
    32.5 He's gone. Mendis proves too good for the No. 9. Googly from Mendis defeats Morkel's defensive prod and hits the stumps. Its drinks 137/8
    not out
    43.5 it's all over, Lakmal aims for the top of off and gets it through the defences of Tsotsobe, who seems surprised that is sneaked through 179/10
    13 (lb 2, w 11)
    179 all out (43.5 Overs, RR: 4.08)
    Fall of wickets: 1-35 (Quinton de Kock, 5.4 ov), 2-60 (Hashim Amla, 9.5 ov), 3-61 (Jean-Paul Duminy, 10.4 ov), 4-69 (Faf du Plessis, 13.2 ov), 5-85 (Farhaan Behardien, 19.3 ov), 6-85 (David Miller, 19.5 ov), 7-137 (AB de Villiers, 32.1 ov), 8-137 (Morne Morkel, 32.5 ov), 9-171 (Ryan McLaren, 42.4 ov), 10-179 (Lonwabo Tsotsobe, 43.5 ov)
    RAS Lakmal5.502233.77284010
    AD Mathews403208.00105000
    SMSM Senanayake1022922.90433000
    TM Dilshan1004114.10364030
    NLTC Perera511713.40200110
    BAW Mendis923634.00384020

Match Details


Sri Lanka , elected to bat first

Player Of The Match

Player Of The Series

Series result

Sri Lanka won the 5-match series 4-1

Match number


Hours of play (local time)


Match days

31 July 2013 - day/night match (50-over match)

Reserve Umpire

Match Referee

Match Notes

  • South Africa turn to introspection after thrashing

    AB de Villiers had marked out the ODIs in Sri Lanka as the beginning of South Africa's approach to the 2015 World Cup, but South Africa's captain conceded, after the fifth ODI in Colombo, that the 4-1 thrashing may trigger changes in personnel

  • Thirimanne's calm approach bodes well for SL

    Lahiru Thirimanne's innings in the fifth ODI was not very different from some of the other innings he has played before, but his calculated approach to run-making left an impression

  • Much work needed on several fronts for South Africa

    The opening combination, the spinner's spot, the pace bowing in less helpful conditions, the wicketkeeping, the captaincy … there was little that went right for South Africa in Sri Lanka

  • Dilshan's skip and anti-climax

    Plays of the Day from the fifth ODI between Sri Lanka and South Africa in Colombo

  • Dominant Sri Lanka make it 4-1

    South Africa suffered a fifth successive sub-standard batting performance in Sri Lanka to concede the final match in the series - a dead rubber - to opposition who have shown their superiority

South Africa 2nd innings Partnerships

1st35HM AmlaQ de Kock
2nd25HM AmlaJP Duminy
3rd1JP DuminyF du Plessis
4th8AB de VilliersF du Plessis
5th16AB de VilliersF Behardien
6th0AB de VilliersDA Miller
7th52R McLarenAB de Villiers
8th0R McLarenM Morkel
9th34R McLarenAM Phangiso
10th8AM PhangisoLL Tsotsobe