RESULT
5th ODI, Johannesburg, January 22, 2012, Sri Lanka tour of South Africa
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(49.5/50 ov, T:313) 314/8

Sri Lanka won by 2 wickets (with 1 ball remaining)

Player Of The Match
102 (97)
kumar-sangakkara
Player Of The Series
329 runs
ab-de-villiers
New
SL
Full commentary

That's the first time a team since New Zealand in 2007 to have chased 300 or more in successive ODIs.

Sri Lanka may have lost the series, but they will be thrilled with the performance of several of their young batsmen. Chandimal has made big strides this series, and Thiriamanne showed off his cool temperament today, with a maiden half-century when the pressure was on.

South Africa, on the other hand, haven't learnt much about their next generation of batsmen. Again it was the big boys who scored most of the runs - Ingram didn't get too much of a chance, du Plessis shone in one game, Petersen didn't make the most of two games at the top. South Africa also need to sort out who their death bowlers are - they lost their head in Kimberley, and today it wasn't exactly top bowling which got the wickets.

This is the second highest successful chase at the Wanderers, after the famous 438 one.

Kishore says: "And thats why Senanayake has come ahead of Malinga."

Presentation ceremony

Dilshan: "Chasing 313 is a tight game always, I thought we could finish easily but they came back well in the end. We batted well in the last two matches, chasing 300-plus. We won the Test in Durban, unfortunately third ODI rained out or we might have won the series. Enjoyed the tour, but personally disappointed with my form, last two matches got back to form."

Man of the Match is Kumar Sangakkara. "It was important to get runs, 3-1 down in the series, important to finish off on a high. Graeme and AB batted beautifully and almost put it beyond us. But our openers started brilliantly, and Thirimanne, a young kid, also came in and performed. Credit goes to those three guys. I got out at the wrong time. ... Senanayake hitting the winning runs with a six was the icing on the cake."

Man of the Series is AB de Villiers. "things have been going my way, delighted with my form at the moment. I thought the boys did really well. Biff did extremely well, I told the press that he was going to come through, and I'm very happy for my man. There's a lot to work on for us, but an happy with the way the boys fought till the end. Every ground supported us really well this series."

AB gets the series trophy and pops the champagne with the rest of the team.

Phew! That's about a wrap for this series from us. See whether Abhishek Purohit has managed to capture all the twists and turns of the game in his report here.

Thanks for the many mails, see you soon!

49.5
6
Peterson to Senanayake, SIX runs

Sri Lanka have done it! like in Kimberley they finish it off with a six, over midwicket this time, famous first runs for Senanayake, South Africa did so well to bring it close, but the youngster kept his cool, defending his first ball then unleashing a flat hit for six, Peterson has his hands on his head, the crowd is silenced, not bad for a dead rubber

49.4
Peterson to Senanayake, no run

dot ball, a length ball on leg stump, defended back towards the bowler, five needed off two, how did it come to this?

Sachithra Senanayake is the new batsmen. Ahead of Malinga. Why?

49.3
W
Peterson to Thirimanne, OUT

oh Sri Lanka, this is ridiculous, a short of length ball from Peterson, slightly quicker, Thirimanne charges out and looks hit that through the off, an outside edge carries nicely to Albie Morkel at short third man, Sanga and Dilshan look very tense in the dressing room

Lahiru Thirimanne c JA Morkel b Peterson 69 (63b 7x4 0x6 100m) SR: 109.52
49.2
1
Peterson to Herath, 1 run

well done, he opens the face and guides the ball towards backward point for a single

Rangana Herath walks out. He loves to swing the bat, can he keep his head here? Just take the single, and leave it to Thirimanne

49.1
W
Peterson to Kulasekara, OUT

the Joburg crowd yell in delight as Nuwan is bowled first ball, making room and looking to hit that over extra cover, he misses Peterson hits, that crashes into middle and leg, Peterson is ecstatic, six needed off five

Nuwan Kulasekara b Peterson 0 (1b 0x4 0x6 3m) SR: 0

New man Nuwan on strike. Robin Peterson given the ball, that's a big decision from AB. Tsotsobe has overs to spare,. Long-on, long-off, deep midwicket and deep square leg.

Long-on comes in, sweeper cover goes out. Six to get

end of over 493 runs • 1 wicket
SL: 307/6CRR: 6.26 RRR: 6.00
Lahiru Thirimanne69 (62b 7x4)
Jean-Paul Duminy 6.5-0-44-2
Morne Morkel 9.1-0-49-0
48.6
W
Duminy to Perera, OUT

forget yorkers, start practising your high full tosses, Duminy sends one of those, Perera looks to end the game in style with a smash over midwicket, he can't get it far enough, the best fielder in the game, du Plessis, pouches that easily, Dilshan and sangakkara signalling a no-ball in the dressing room, umpire signals nothing, that looked to be at an acceptable height

Thisara Perera c du Plessis b Duminy 2 (8b 0x4 0x6 13m) SR: 25
48.5
Duminy to Perera, no run

another dot ball, the crowd loves it, this ball is pushed towards cover

48.4
Duminy to Perera, no run

a full ball on middle and leg, helped to mid-on, that's a dot ball

why does it say about South African bowling that JP Duminy needs to bowl so many overs in the death?

48.3
1
Duminy to Thirimanne, 1 run

another single, all along the ground towards long-off

Heshan: "Wonder what the "esteemed gentlemen" at SLC will do with this team?

2 consecutive scores of 300+ and a tour to Australia (with similar conditions) coming up."

48.2
1
Duminy to Perera, 1 run

a length ball outside off, eased to long-off for a single, sensible stuff this from the Sri Lankans

48.1
1
Duminy to Thirimanne, 1 run

a full toss on middle and leg, pushed towards mid-on for a single

end of over 488 runs
SL: 304/5CRR: 6.33 RRR: 4.50
Thisara Perera1 (4b)
Lahiru Thirimanne67 (60b 7x4)
Morne Morkel 9.1-0-49-0
Wayne Parnell 10-0-51-2
47.6
Morkel to Perera, no run

full and angling across, batsman chases after it but doesn't connect

47.5
1
Morkel to Thirimanne, 1 run

slices this towards deep point for a single

47.4
4
Morkel to Thirimanne, FOUR runs

smoking! Morne bowls his predictable back of a length, hammered to the midwicket boundary for an authoritative four, that is making a statement

47.3
1lb
Morkel to Perera, 1 leg bye

Morne was appealing for a caught-behind, it was a ball down the leg side once more, off the pads through to the keeper, Thirimanne races through for a leg bye

47.3
1w
Morkel to Perera, 1 wide
47.2
1
Morkel to Thirimanne, 1 run

wide down the leg side, Morkel doesn't like the call, neither does the crowd, which loudly boos the decision

47.1
Morkel to Thirimanne, no run

full and just outside off, Thirimanne wanted to send that into orbit, the ball sails past the bat and through to the keeper

end of over 472 runs • 1 wicket
SL: 296/5CRR: 6.29 RRR: 5.66
Thisara Perera1 (2b)
Lahiru Thirimanne61 (56b 6x4)
Wayne Parnell 10-0-51-2
Morne Morkel 8.1-0-42-0
46.6
Parnell to Perera, no run

another high full toss, just low enough to not be called a no-ball, defended back towards the bowler

46.5
1
Parnell to Thirimanne, 1 run

guided down to third man for a single

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