McKenzie sets up South African win
Neil McKenzie hit a maiden limited overs international century as South Africa hammered Sri Lanka by 95 runs in the second match of a six-game series at Buffalo Park on Sunday.
McKenzie's 120 not out enabled his team to overcome a poor start and take advantage of ideal batting conditions. South Africa's total of 302 for seven was the highest in an international match at Buffalo Park.
Sri Lanka made 207 for six in reply and were never on target, especially after hard-hitting opening batsmen Romesh Kaluwitharana and Sanath Jayasuriya were dismissed in the first five overs by South African captain Shaun Pollock.
It was South Africa's seventh successive one-day win and put them 2-0 up in the series.
Marvan Atapattu and Mahela Jayawardene put on 63 for the third wicket before Atapattu was caught behind off Makhaya Ntini for 36. Jayawardene went on to make top score of 59.
With the match effectively decided, Russel Arnold and Chaminda Vaas shared a face-saving unbeaten seventh wicket stand of 60, evidently opting for batting practice ahead of the first two Test matches which precede the resumption of the one-day contests.
McKenzie, 25, hit 13 fours and a six in a 141-ball innings as he grabbed his opportunity after missing selection for the first match, which South Africa won by four wickets in Port Elizabeth Friday.
South Africa lost both openers cheaply, with Andrew Hall trapped lbw first ball by Vaas and Gary Kirsten caught off his gloves at slip for six when Nuwan Zoysa made a ball bounce steeply.
Jacques Kallis and McKenzie steadied the innings before Kallis was caught at cover for 35. McKenzie was dropped soon afterwards with his own score on 35 when he swept offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan to Upul Chandana at square leg.
It proved a costly error as South Africa then took control.
Sri Lankan captain Jayasuriya said he was disappointed with his side's fielding.
McKenzie and Jonty Rhodes put on 88 for the fourth wicket, with Rhodes racing to his second successive half-century, making 50 off 51 balls. Rhodes was playing in his 189th one-day international, a new record for South Africa.
Mark Boucher then played aggressively to hit 55 off 48 balls as he helped McKenzie add 100 off 87 balls for the fifth wicket. Boucher was dropped twice off Muralitharan as he went for his shots before skying the offspinner to extra cover one ball after reaching his half-century with a sweep for six.
McKenzie, playing in his 19th one-day international, passed his previous highest score of 58 and went on to reach his century off 129 balls when he pulled Zoysa to the midwicket boundary.
McKenzie, who made a maiden Test century against New Zealand in Port Elizabeth earlier this month, replaced Boeta Dippenaar from the side that played in the first one-day international. South Africa again did not pick fast bowler Allan Donald, who is recovering from a stomach muscle injury.
Sri Lanka also made one change, with legspinner Chandana replacing batsman Tillekeratne Dilshan.
Final scoreboard in the 2nd ODI between South Africa and Sri Lanka
South Africa
G. Kirsten c Jayawardene b Zoysa 6
A. Hall lbw b Vaas 0
J. Kallis c Arnold b Wickramasinghe 35
N. McKenzie not out 120
J. Rhodes c Muralitharan b Jayasuriya 50
M. Boucher c Wickramasinghe b Muralitharan 55
L. Klusener c Chandana b Zoysa 6
N. Boje run out (Atapattu) 7
Extras (lb12, w5, nb6) 23
Total (7 wkts) 302
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-24, 3-69, 4-157, 5-257, 6-279, 7-302
Bowling:
Vaas 10-0-54-1 (4nb, 1w), Zoysa 10-0-68-2 (1w), Wickramasinghe 7-0-39-1, Muralitharan 10-0-47-1 (1w), Chandana 7-0-43-0 (2nb), Arnold 1-0-10-0, Jayasuriya 5-0-29-1 (2w)
Overs: 50
Did not bat: S. Pollock, R. Telemachus, M. Ntini
Sri Lanka
S. Jayasuriya b Pollock 7
R. Kaluwitharana lbw b Pollock 2
M. Atapattu c Boucher b Ntini 36
D. Jayawardene c and b Boje 59
K. Sangakkara c Hall b Ntini 11
R. Arnold not out 39
U. Chandana lbw b Klusener 2
W. Vaas not out 34
Extras (lb3, w7, nb7) 17
Total (6 wkts, 50 overs) 207
Falls: 1-8 (Kaluwitharana), 2-17 (Jayasuriya), 3-80 (Atapattu), 4-106 (Sangakkara), 5-141 (Jayawardene), 6-147 (Chandana)
Bowling: Pollock 10-0-34-2, Telemachus 9-1-44-0 (4nb, 3w), Ntini 10-0-38-2, Kallis 8-0-30-0 (2w), Klusener 9-2-32-1 (3nb), Boje 3-0-21-1 (1w), McKenzie 1-0-5-0 (1w)
Did not bat: D. Zoysa, M. Muralitharan, G. Wickramasinghe.
Result: South Africa won by 95 runs.
Man of the match: Neil McKenzie.
Mail Cricket Editor
