South Africa stormed into the World Cup semi-finals Wednesday with a nine-wicket rout of Sri Lanka which brought the curtain down on the ODI careers of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.
– #360LIVE: Relive South Africa’s 9-wicket win over Sri Lanka
– INTERVIEW: Gillespie tips Australia to win World Cup
– WHERE TO WATCH: Cricket World Cup quarters in UAE
If ever there was a case to be made about the significance of fielding in cricket, this match was a conclusive argument in its favour.
From the moment Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat at the Sydney Cricket Ground pitch, the South African fielders created a pressure so intense, it was suffocating.
One by one, the extremely talented Sri Lanka batting line up succumbed as they gasped for runs. In the end, a total of 133 was never going to test whether this Proteas side led by AB de Villiers can rid the tag of ‘chokers’ that has followed them throughout tournament history.
In the end, South Africa became the first team to book their place in the semi-finals and they will travel to Auckland where they take on the winners of the match between New Zealand and West Indies.
Get the feeling that the @scg is not looking this pretty to the Sri Lankans right now! @Sport_360 #CWC15 #SLvSA pic.twitter.com/0Saad1I7zx
— Joy Chakravarty (@TheJoyOfCricket) March 18, 2015
As for Sri Lanka, the ODI careers of two of their greatest stars – Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene – eventually finished without the joy of ever winning the World Cup despite reaching the final in the last two editions.
The South African pace attack of Dale Steyn, Kyle Abbott and Morne Morkel all bowled with pace and purpose, but they could only take two wickets in the first 19 overs, and both were thanks to outstanding catches. Spinners Imran Tahir, declared Man of the Match for his 4-26, and JP Duminy (3-29), who took the ninth hat-trick of World Cup, took control from then on.
Kusal Perera was eyeing off-side boundaries from Abott, but misread a ball that moved in slightly and edged it behind. Wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock flew to his left, got his glove to it and extended his dive to pluck the bobbling ball again to take an incredible catch.
Moments later, Faf du Plessis took a stunner at second slip, managing to get his fingers under a Tillekeratne Dilshan knick off Steyn that was dying on him.
This is when @KumarSanga2 and @MahelaJay take their last walk off an ODI ground. @Sport_360 #SriLanka #SAvSL pic.twitter.com/uUY0imTOQC
— Joy Chakravarty (@TheJoyOfCricket) March 18, 2015
It was 2-4 in the fifth over, and Sri Lanka reached 69 before the third wicket fell in the 20th as Thirimanne recklessly gave his wicket away. Otherwise, the runs were not coming as the South African fielders attacked the ball with ferocity, diving and sliding with gay abandon, making impossible stops and converting twos into singles.
Jayawardene (4) does not have a very good record against South Africa, and could not change that pattern in what turned out to be his last match. There was hope while Sangakkara was at the crease, even though he was bottled up and took 41 balls to reach just six. But he was fast running out of partners and perished trying to force the pace against Morkel.
Even in his last outing, Sangakkara (45, 96 balls, 3×4) top-scored for his country.
In reply, South Africa needed just 18 overs to each the target, thanks to a characteristically blistering unbeaten knock of 78 (57b, 12×4) by de Kock. It was fitting that the two men who started all the trouble for Sri Lanka – de Kock and du Plessis – were together to end the misery for them.
