Watch the highlights of South Africa vs Sri Lanka 14th Match Benson & Hedges World Cup 1992 - Benson & Hedges World Cup tournament of the 14th ODI match played between Sri Lanka and South Africa at Basin Reserve, Wellington on 02nd March 1992.
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| Arjuna Ranatunga celebrates his half-century © ICC / Digital Cricket TV |
Don Anurasiri's three-wickets, Roshan Mahanama's half-century and A excellent all-round display by Arjuna Ranatunga's two wickets with a unbeaten 64 helped to Sri Lanka registered their first first ODI win against South Africa by a thrilling 3-wickets in a see-saw game of the 14th match of a Benson and Hedges World Cup.
South Africa scored 195 for all-out in 50 overs with top scorer by Peter Kirsten cracked a 47 off 81-balls including 5-fours & a six.
Kepler Wessels scored 40 off 94-balls without a boundary, Jonty Rhodes struck 28 off 21-balls included 2-fours.
Brian McMillan scored a unbeaten 18 off 22-balls without a boundary and Adrian Kuiper hit 18 off 44-balls included 3-fours.
Sri Lanka best bowler by Don Anurasiri picked up 3-wickets for 41-runs in 10-overs including a maiden, Arjuna Ranatunga captured two-wickets, Champaka Ramanayake, Pramodya Wickramasinghe and Ruwan Kalpage each took one-wickets.
Sri Lanka chase down the target of 196, finishing at 198 for 7 in 49.5 overs with top scorer by Roshan Mahanama cracked a 68 off 121-balls including 6-fours.
Arjuna Ranatunga hit a unbeaten 64 off 73-balls including 6-fours and Hashan Tillakaratne scored 17 off consuming 63-balls without a boundary.
This match reported by NZPA, AFP, AAP via The Canberra Times
Sri Lanka's last-over win against South Africa in the cricket World Cup match ranked as one of the nation's finest, captain Aravinda De Silva said.
Speaking after his side had reached 7-198 with one ball to spare in reply to South Africa's 196 all out at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, De Silva praised Sri Lanka's all-round effort.
"I think it is one of our greatest victories, especially considering the circumstances." he said.
De Silva has played in many of Sri Lanka's previous 26 international one-day wins.
"We've had problems with injuries and have been down to basically 12 players, so the boys did a wonderful job."
De Silva said his side had never given up hope of winning the match, even when the required run rate was more than five an over inside the last 20 overs on a very slow wicket.
"We always felt there was a chance as long as Arjuna Ranatunga was around."
Indeed, much of the credit belonged to former skipper Ranatunga, who was clearly the man of the match with a well-paced, unbeaten 64 from 73 balls at the business end of the day.
It was the second time Ranatunga had struck a match-winning half-century in the tournament for Sri Lanka, after an unbeaten 88 against Zimbabwe in its first match.
But yesterday he also showed ability with the ball, taking 2-26 with his slow mediums as South Africa's tail fell apart looking for quick runs,
While batting ultimately got Sri Lanka home, its unexpectedly tight bowling, which occasionally bordered on the miserly, and a lively display in the field set the tone early.
De Silva was pleased with the fielding, praising the two superb covers catches by Sanath Jayasuriya.
"I think his second catch to dismiss Jonty Rhodes for 28 turned the game because he was really pushing along the score at that stage and that was a vital wicket for us.
This win gives Sri Lanka two wins and a no-result draw from three matches and lifts it to equal second place with England on the World Cup table behind New Zealand.
Victory also meant a place in the semi-finals was possible, manager Ranjit Fernando said.
"It's always been our objective and now I think we've got a very good chance."
For South African captain Kepler Wessels, the result seemed a continuation of Saturday's disaster at Eden Park against New Zealand.
"We're struggling to hit the ball off the square at this stage on the slower wickets," Wessels said.
"We found this one even slower than Auckland so we just couldn't get going at all.
"We lost wickets at the wrong times, I got out at the wrong time. I should have batted through. "It was a 220 wicket."
A problem with wides and no-balls did not help the South Africans' cause either.
Four no-balls and 13 wides were conceded, mainly by super quick paceman Allan Donald, who bowled a 10-ball first over and conceded three more wides in his second.
South Africa heads for Christchurch to meet the West Indies on Thursday while Sri Lanka flies to Adelaide to play Australia on Saturday.
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