|
Four wickets to super-sub leg-spinner Malinga Bandara has helped Sri Lanka to advance to the VB Series finals after they recorded a crushing 76-run victory over South Africa in Hobart.
Bandara was the pick of Sri Lanka's spin attack as the South Africans lost their way to bring a disappointing end to a dismal tour.
A fighting half-century from Graeme Smith was the only highlight as no other batsman made over 24 in the innings of 181.
Sri Lanka were off to a flier courtesy of Sanath Jayasuriya; his departure for 25, bowled by Shaun Pollock, brought Kumar Sangakkara to the crease. Sangakkara (62) and skipper Marvan Atapattu (80), reviving his role as an opener added 123 for the second wicket as the Lankans cruised to 175/1.
However, the acceleration problems that have plagued the Sri Lankans all tour crept in once again. Johan van der Wath removed both set batsmen in quick succession, and the constant arrival of new batsmen to the crease saw Sri Lanka struggle to boost their run rate in the latter stages of the innings.
Only Tillakaratne Dilshan (30) made any significant impact on the scoreboard, but his final score was aided by consecutive boundaries - the second travelling flat over the ropes at midwicket - off Andrew Hall full tosses.
The Sri Lankan innings wound up at 257/9, the last eight wickets falling for the addition of only 82 runs at a tedious pace. It seemed under par on a true Bellerive wicket, but they would soon expose South Africa's fatal flaw: the lack of a spinner of international quality.
Chaminda Vaas removed Boeta Dippenaar for 9 with a delivery which must have only just pitched in line with leg, and three balls later pulled off a fine one-handed catch in his follow-through to have the tentative Herschelle Gibbs heading back to the pavilion.
Mark Boucher played confidently as he has done all summer before he was knocked over by Dilhara Fernando, while Smith battled bravely at the other end in a last-ditch attempt to arrest his horror form slump. He was dropped on 42 by Dilshan, and as he crossed for his first half-century for the tour, it became apparent that it may be his day.
It wasn't to be, however; a loose slog-sweep off Bandara brought about his downfall for 67 and triggered a collapse in which South Africa lost five wickets for the addition of only 34 runs, consigning them to defeat.
Hall and Johan Botha frustrated the Sri Lankans for a little while, adding 31 for the ninth wicket, but the damage had been done and the modest target of 258 had slipped well out of reach.
Dilshan picked up the final wicket when Langeveldt holed out to Jehan Mubarak at deep midwicket, and Sri Lanka, fresh after a week's rest, had completed their Tasmanian mission.
They will meet Australia at the Adelaide Oval on Friday in the first of three VB Series finals and with the second final at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Sri Lanka's spin brigade will play an important part again.
