A four-for from SA women’s skipper Sune Luus and an unbeaten 61 from Mignon du Preez helped the home side cruise to a 3-0 One-Day International (ODI) series victory over Sri Lanka in Potchefstroom on Sunday.
Skittled for 139, Anushka Sanjeewani's 28 was the only innings of any real stature from Sri Lanka's top order, as Luus (4/30) tore through the middle order after some economical work from Nadine de Klerk (2/30), Marizanne Kapp (1/20) and Shabnim Ismail - the latter conceding a remarkable eight runs from her seven overs.
In reply, the hosts lost just four wickets, as Du Preez, with the help of cameos from De Klerk and Laura Goodall, warded off the imposing threat of Inoka Ranaweera, who was in inspired form in the final ODI.
Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and elected to bat, but she was dismissed in the first over for a golden duck when Kapp had her caught behind, and regular wickets hampered the tourists' chances of amassing a competitive score.
Athapaththu's 94 had anchored her side in the previous bout, albeit fruitlessly, and her early dismissal buoyed the South African bowlers.
Once opener Sanjeewani had departed, there was little fluency in the batting ranks. Harshitha Madavi looked to prop up the innings temporarily in the middle overs but after she was bowled for 20 by Luus, only an unbeaten 16 from 18-year old Kavisha Dilhari could push Sri Lanka to 139.
It was a score that needed a special effort to defend, and Sri Lanka did begin excellently with the ball, as left-arm spinner Ranaweera put in a superb individual display, claiming all four of South Africa's wickets herself.
She found her stride swiftly after opening the bowling, reducing South Africa to 28/2, but Goodall and Du Preez restored dominance with measured knocks.
With ample overs to spare, the pair were batting sensibly and efficiently before Goodall (25) was also dismissed courtesy of Ranaweera, the Lankan spinner seemingly the only obstacle in South Africa's way at this point, this time chipping in with a timely runout.
She then came back on to bowl following Goodall's departure and prized out the wicket of Luus (five) to finish with brilliant figures of 2/23, but De Klerk steadied the ship upon her arrival at the crease.
She and Du Preez shared a stand of 58 as the tourists probed to no avail, De Klerk emerging with an unbeaten 20 and Du Preez recording her 14th ODI half-century in her effort of 61 unbeaten as the hosts reached 141/4 with 70 balls to spare.
African News Agency