Rampant SA smash Sri Lanka
This could be the win SA needs to go all the way.
WHO are you and what have you done with the Proteas?
Wow, that was a fantastically disappointing result.
Here we were, expecting a nerve-jangling match in which we might have hopefully won in the last over, but probably lost.
No such thing.
The Proteas were in a murderous mood.
The biggest mistake Sri Lanka made was batting first. They’ve chased down just about everything. Why change?
Unfortunately for them, but not South Africa, Vernon Philander wasn’t fully fit, which meant Kyle Abbott got to bowl.
Unless this was a ‘mind game’ and really the plan all along.
Kumar Sangakkara batted like he was trying to save a Test match. The rest, except Thirimanne, like the U14B team playing the 1sts.
Sri Lanka: 133 all out.
The South Africans bowled like someone had pumped jet fuel into their veins.
Maybe it was Mike Horn, their push-things-past-the-edge mentor of sorts.
Dale Steyn must just go easy on the post-wicket celebrations. No need to burst a valve.
JP Duminy took a hat-trick. Against a sub-continent team. In a World Cup. Has the world gone mad?
Of course, such is the optimism of South African fans that they thought it must be the pitch and we would be mystery spun out for much less.
The cherry on top was Quinton de Kock’s batting. He made 78* which was just wonderful to watch.
The only blemish was Hashim Amla’s swish to third man, caught for only 16.
For the record, Imran Tahir was man of the match, but we’ve come to expect that of him.
So, next up, New Zealand or West Indies (who play on Saturday).
We’ll play them on Tuesday, March 24 at Eden Park, New Zealand.
