Debutant Lakshan Sandakan took 4-23 as the Proteas battled to 113 all out in the second T20 international against Sri Lanka.
After their 19-run win in the 10-over bash at Centurion, the Proteas would have been confident of closing out the series in the intimidating Bullring, but the hosts were left stumped by a debutant chinaman, who became just the second player in T20 history to take a wicket with his first ball.
Sandakan, a 25-year-old who’s only played 15 domestic T20 matches in his life, secured the eighth best T20 international figures in history. The rest of the bowling lineup chipped in brilliantly as well, as skipper Angelo Mathews rotated his bowlers to great effect.
The Proteas won the toss, but it became clear straight away that it was going to be a pitch more suited to the slower bowlers. Mathews and Nuwan Kulasekera bowled tidily up front, with the latter accounting for Jon Jon Smuts for four off eight deliveries.
The majority of South Africa’s wickets were the batsmen’s fault. Theunis de Bruyn flicked one straight to the only man on the boundary to walk for seven, before Sandakan got involved and wiped away the middle order.
Mangaliso Mosehle (11) would be his first victim, before he stumped Heino Kuhn for a valiant 29. David Miller (11) followed Kuhn back to the hut, and then, bizarrely, Wayne Parnell (3) and Andile Phehlukwayo (0) both attempted reverse sweeps off Sandakan, and found the edge on both occasions.
That left skipper Farhaan Behardien to battle on his own, and did well to take his side past 100-mark, striking up a crucial 33-run stand with Aaron Phangiso. When Isuru Udana saw off Behardien for 27, the tail were left to feed on scraps as they laboured to 113.
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
