DURBAN, Feb 2: Centuries from Faf du Plessis and David Miller helped South Africa thrash Sri Lanka by 121 runs in their second One-Day International at Kingsmead last night.
Du Plessis� steady 105 was complemented by Miller�s unbeaten 117 from 98 balls, which saw South Africa post 307 for six on a dry surface that took turn from early in the match.
�It�s hard to single out which had a better knock, because they were both match-winning innings,� de Villiers said in a television interview.
�I thought it was a 10 out of 10 batting performance.� In reply, Sri Lanka was bowled out for 186 inside 38 overs, as left-arm seamer Wayne Parnell struck twice up front and spinners Imran Tahir and JP Duminy also took two wickets apiece.
The result gave South Africa its 11th straight win on home soil, as well as a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
They did find themselves under pressure early on when they were put in to bat and slumped to 108 for four, but Du Plessis and Miller added 117 for the fifth wicket at a good rate.
Du Plessis was fortunate to be dropped on 63 at slip off the bowling of Lakshan Sandakan early in the partnership, but made the most of that break as he brought up his seventh ODI century.
SCORECARD
South Africa: H Amla lbw b Lakmal 15, Q De Kock c Lakmal b D De Silva 17, F Du Plessis c Mendis b Kulasekera 105, A de Villiers c Chandimal b Sandakan 3, J Duminy c D De Silva b Pathirana 11, D Miller not out 117, C Morris c Mendis b Lakmal 26, W Parnell not out 2. Extras: (lb5, w6) 11. Total: (6 wkts, 50 overs) 307. Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-65, 3-71, 4-108, 5-225, 6-285. Bowling: Kulasekera 10-0-76-1, Lakmal 7-0-54-2, D de Silva 8-0-42-1, C De Silva 4-0-23-0, Sandakan 10-0-51-1, Pathirana 4-0-19-1, Gunaratne 7-0-37-1.
Sri Lanka: N Dickwella c Du Plessis b Parnell 25, U Tharanga c De Villiers b Parnell 26, K Mendis c Du Plessis b Phehlukwayo 20, D Chandimal c De Kock b Morris 36, D De Silva st De Kock b Imran Tahir 1, A Gunaratne run out (Duminy) 18, C De Silva c sub (Behardien) b Duminy 14, S Pathirana c Parnell b Duminy 26, N Kulasekera c Du Plessis b Rabada 12, S Lakmal not out 2, L Sandakan lbw b Imran Tahir 0. Extras: (lb1, w5) 6. Total: (37.5 overs) 186. Fall of wickets: 1-45, 2-52, 3-74, 4-75, 5-119, 6-122, 7-152, 8-181, 9-184, 10-186. Bowling: Rabada 8-0-47-1, Parnell 6-0-34-2, Morris 6-0-27-1, Imran Tahir 8.5-1-26-2, Phehlukwayo 4-0-21-1, Duminy 5-0-30-2. � AFP
