Sri Lanka U19 stormed to a 153-run win against South Africa in Oudtshoorn on Sunday, but it was merely a consolation win as the hosts won the Youth One-Day International series.
Nipun Ransika, Manelker De Silva and Praveen Jayawickrama took eight wickets between them to bowl the South Africa U19s out for 75 runs and claim a 153-run victory in the third and last match. The visitors, who were two-nil down in the three-match series ended the contest on a positive note with a strong win.
Having learned from their previous encounters against the hosts, the tourists elected to bat first after once again winning the toss. They posted 228-9 thanks to a 98-ball 77 by Hasitha Boyagoda and 41 from 49 deliveries hit by Vishva Chathuranga up front.
Lutho Sipamla led the South African bowling attack, returning figures of 3-38 with Michael Cohen chipping in with 2-42.
The batsmen however, had no answer to Ransika (4-24). He dismantled the top order, dismissing openers Matthew Breetzke and Wandile Makwetu as well as number four, Jesse Christensen for eight, seven and zero respectively, while De Silva (2-6) and Jayawickrama (2-16) sent off Raynard van Tonder (2), Jason Niemand (2) and Mitchell van Buuren (0) with Muhammed Mayet falling to a run-out for four.
No-one in the top seven scored above Breetzke’s eight runs, leaving the young hosts on 33-7 when Kenan Smith (17) and Sipamla (14) put on a gutsy 30 runs between them for the eighth wicket. Ransika returned to take his fourth wicket, breaking the partnership and laying the groundwork for Rashmika Kilshan (1-11) and Jayawickrama to finish off the match with nine overs to spare.
South Africa end the series with a 2-1 victory and will also be satisfied with having beaten Sri Lanka five times out of the seven times the sides met in the Cricket South Africa Youth Triangular series and in this last stand-alone contest combined.
Photo: Ashley Voltman/Gallo Images
