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South Africa score 299-7 against Sri Lanka

Captain AB de Villiers smacked 96 in leading South Africa to an imposing 299-7 against Sri Lanka in the fourth one-day international at Diamond Oval on Friday.

South Africa won the series on Tuesday in Bloemfontein when it took an unbeatable 3-0 lead, but it’s not willing to concede anything to the tourists, who also lost the preceding test series 2-1.

Former Proteas captain Graeme Smith gave his ODI credentials a much-needed boost with 68 off 69 balls, only his second half-century in a year. Smith and Alviro Petersen made a brilliant start averaging more than seven an over.

Smith brought up his 50 off 45 balls and his teammates in the stands stood to applaud, knowing his struggles in the shorter format.

Their opening partnership ended at 84 with Sri Lanka’s fifth change of bowler, Rangana Herath. With his first ball of the 14th over, Herath induced a slice off Petersen, on 37, for Upul Tharanga to make a low, running catch.

De Villiers came in and wasted no time. He took 31 balls to reach his 28th half-century, whacking counterpart Tillakaratne Dilshan with a third six in eight deliveries. De Villiers took 19 off Dilshan’s over.

Dilshan caught Smith, however, off Lasith Malinga at 171-2 in the 26th over. After seven boundaries and a six, Smith popped a legside delivery to short midwicket.

Colin Ingram lasted only four balls for 1, then JP Duminy helped De Villiers take South Africa past 200 in the 31st over. But the run-rate was slowly declining.

South Africa was 242-3 in the 39th before Duminy edged behind off Thisara Perera for 36 off 47 balls. His departure started a slide.

De Villiers was next, moving across the crease but missing Perera’s delivery which hit the middle stump. De Villiers hit eight fours and three sixes in his entertaining 76-ball knock.

Sri Lanka, none of whose bowlers got off lightly including debutante Sachithra Senanayake, did well in the end to restrict South Africa to 299. But Sri Lanka had to produce its best score of the series to end its losing streak.

South Africa

A. Petersen c Tharanga b Herath 37

G. Smith c Dilshan b Malinga 68

A.B. de Villiers b Perera 96

C. Ingram lbw b Kulasekara 1

J.P. Duminy c Sangakkara b Perera 36

F. du Plessis c Sangakkara b Herath 5

W. Parnell run out (Tharanga) 21

R. Peterson not out 23

V. Philander not out 2

Extras (b4, w6) 10

Total (7 wkts, 50 overs) 299

Fall of wickets: 1-84 (Petersen), 2-171 (Smith), 3-172 (Ingram), 4-242 (Duminy), 5-250 (De Villiers), 6-252 (Du Plessis), 7-289 (Parnell)

Bowling: Malinga 10-0-57-1 (4w), Kulasekara 8-0-40-1, Senanayake 10-1-53-0, Perera 4-0-34-2 (2w), Mathews 1-0-6-0, Dilshan 8-0-60-0, Herath 9-0-45-2

Did not bat: M. Morkel, L. Tsotsobe

Sri Lanka: U. Tharanga, T. Dilshan (capt), K. Sangakkara, D. Chandimal (wkt), L. Thirimanne, A. Mathews, N. Kulasekara, L. Malinga, R. Herath, T. Perera, S. Senanayake

Match situation: Sri Lanka need 300 runs to win

Toss: South Africa

Umpires: Johan Cloete (RSA) and Billy Doctrove (WIS)

TV umpire: Nigel Llong (ENG)

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)