The Castle Lager Proteas got their Sri Lankan tour off to a perfect start when they beat their hosts by 75 runs in the first of three ODI matches at Colombo on Sunday. It was only the third time they had won an ODI against their hosts on Sri Lankan soil.
There were many positives for the Proteas to take out of the match not least of these being the confident and competent manner in which the batsmen handled the Sri Lankan spin attack. Angelo Mathews opted to use 31 overs of spin but the Proteas still piled up their highest total in Sri Lanka of 304/5.
There was also an important opening partnership of 58 between Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock that laid the foundation for the subsequent partnerships of 155 between Amla and AB de Villiers and the unbroken 54 at the end between David Miller and Ryan McLaren.
Amla was named man-of-the-match for his 13th ODI century (109 off 130 balls, 8 fours and a six) while De Villiers contributed 75 (70 balls, 5 fours and a six). Their partnership came in only 23 overs at the rate of more than six to the over.
McLaren’s all-round form was another important plus as he backed up his important partnership with Miller with two wickets in three balls to break the back of Sri Lankan resistance, removing Lahiru Thirimanne and Kumar Sangakkara (88 off 84 balls, 9 fours). The pair had threatened to keep Sri Lanka in the match with a sixth wicket stand of 52 in 8 overs.
With McLaren taking charge of the No. 7 position it enables the Proteas to have excellent balance with reliable batting down to Vernon Philander at No. 8 and five specialist bowlers plus the all-round skills of Jacques Kallis, who did not bowl today, and JP Duminy.
Once Thirimanne and Sangakkara were gone Imran Tahir and Dale Steyn had little trouble in finishing off the tail and it was an important achievement to bowl Sri Lanka out inside 41 overs.
Imran could also look back on a successful day. Sangakkara and Tillekeratne Dilshan attempted to target him, taking 24 off his first two overs but he bounced back to finish with 3/50 in seven overs which was substantially better than any of the Sri Lankan spinners.
The second ODI takes place at Pallekele on Wednesday (11h00, CAT)