Lankans keep the faith to win

South Africa’s spinners took 4/118 at an economy rate of 4.54. Their seamers claimed 2/171 at 7.13 to the over.

Telford Vice | Cape Town

“EVERYONE has a reason to pray.” It isn’t often that advertising at cricket grounds is quotable, but that’s what was spelt out below a sponsor’s logo that was flashed on an electronic board at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Thursday.

“Indeed,” the Sri Lankans might have said in response. They had lost all but two of their previous 19 ODIs against South Africa, a sorry story that goes back more than seven years. The South Africans might have said the same. It had been 66 ODIs and almost five years since they chased down 300 or more to win in the format. They had only ever done so once in Asia, where they have a starkly better record batting first.

So reasons to pray were not in short supply. But, with all the pleas sent their way from every corner of the world, the gods are busy. Besides, how seriously should they take the imploring of a couple of struggling teams — between them, Sri Lanka and South Africa had won one of their eight ODI series before Thursday — considering all the challenges that need their attention? All that cricket can claim to have in common with real world issues like Covid-19 and climate change is that it also starts with C. So best mere cricketers leave the gods to get on with more important matters.

Certainly, Avishka Fernando batted with the clear-eyed calm of the committed agnostic. His 118 leapt from the scorecard, but at least as valuable was the rock solid steadiness he provided in stands of 57, 79 and 97 with Minod Bhanuka, Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka, who threw a muscular 71 into the mix.

The visitors’ spinners spared them from having to chase an even bigger target than 301. It’s rare that South Africa’s slow bowlers are entrusted with most of the overs, but Keshav Maharaj — whose 2/30 was his tightest bowling in his dozen ODIs — Aiden Markram and Tabraiz Shamsi sent down a combined 26 of them. And they could have made a case for more, or for George Linde to also have been part of the XI. Spin took 4/118 at an economy rate of 4.54 for the South Africans. Their seamers slipped to 2/171 at 7.13 to the over. Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortjé were too short too often and Andile Phehlukwayo was too full too often.

Consequently, South Africa needed a batting hero similar to Fernando, and he was Markram. Sometimes it can seem as if he has too much talent and not enough belief. Thursday wasn’t one of those times. Markram batted with an immaculate conception of how to open the innings and through three partnerships — including a stand of 106 with Temba Bavuma — for his 96, which was ended with a skied drive into the covers and a fine running, diving catch by Praveen Jayawickrama.

That was inside five overs after Bavuma had been hit on the thumb by a throw from midwicket as he lingered out of his ground. He received treatment on the field but headed for the dressing room two overs later and to hospital for a scan directly after the match. “It was freakish to lose him like that,” Markram told an online press conference. “I wouldn’t say it was momentum-stopping, but it was clearly momentum-halting.”

Bavuma’s fate, and Markram’s dismissal, turned the page of this epic from the old testament to the new — even though after 40 overs of South Africa’s reply their 210/3 was identical to the home side’s score at the same stage of their innings.

Rassie van der Dussen kept the faith with a run-a-ball 59 in stands of 43 with Kyle Verreynne and 51 with Heinrich Klaasen. Van der Dussen’s feet moved about as well as a pair of stone tablets at the start of his innings, but he became a keen disciple of the reverse sweep — which proved his downfall when he was bowled by Dananjaya in the 46th.

That left South Africa to score 41 off 25 balls, and with Phehlukwayo and Klaasen as their only potential saviours. But a South African win from there would have been nothing short of a revelation. Instead it was the Sri Lankans who earned the praise for holding their nerve to win by 14 runs.

Prayers no doubt went up from both dressing rooms afterwards; of thanks from the Lankans and, next door, for the captain to be able to take his place in Saturday’s match. As Markram said: “Hopefully it’s not serious because we desperately need him.”

Amen to that, you can be sure South Africans are saying.

First published by Cricbuzz.