Marvan Atapattu scored his seventh career century to steer Sri Lanka to a seven-wicket victory over South Africa in the third one-day international at Willowmoore Park on Sunday. He and veteran Aravinda de Silva put on 140 for the third wicket off 140 balls as Sri Lanka reached the target of 254 in 41.4 overs, keeping their hopes alive in the five-match series after losing the first two encounters. SCOREBOARD South Africa: G Smith b Vaas 16, H Gibbs lbw Vaas 0, B Dippenaar b Gamage 5, J Kallis c Jayawardene b Nissanka 87, J Rhodes c Sangakkara b Gamage 0, M Boucher b Nissanka 14, S Pollock c Jayawardene b Jayasuriya 39, L Klusener not out 60, N Boje not out 11 Extras: (b-4, lb-2, nb-3, w-12) 21 Total: (For 7 wkts, in 50 overs) 253 Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-15, 3-28, 4-35, 5-71, 6-152, 7-209 Bowling: Vaas 10-1-39-2, Gamage 7-0-37-2, Fernando 9-0-58-0, Nissanka 10-0-61-2, Jayasuriya 10-1-37-1, Aravinda de Silva 4-0-15-0 Sri Lanka: M Atapattu not out 123; S Jayasuriya c Rhodes b Ntini 22; K Sangakkara c Boje b Donald 10; A De Silva b Pollock 71; M Jayawardene not out 15 Extras (b-4, lb-4, nb-1, w-8): 17 Total (For 3 wkts, 41.4 overs): 258 Fall of wicket: 1-40, 2-73, 3-213 Bowling: Pollock 10-0-42-1, Ntini 10-0-56-1, Donald 7-1-45-1, Klusener 7-0-38-0, Boje 3.4-0-35-0, Kallis 4-0-34-0 Result: Sri Lanka won by seven wickets It was their first win of the tour to South Africa that included two Test matches, which were both lost. Atapattu scored a classy 123 not out off 121 balls with 15 boundaries and a six while De Silva showed the experience of 291 matches as he amassed 71 by cleverly finding gaps in the field and keeping the scoreboard ticking over. The pair were particularly brutal on slow left-arm Nicky Boje who disappeared for 35 runs in just 3.5 overs and seamer Jacques Kallis who was hit for 34 runs in four overs. With the score on 213 in De Silva was bowled by South Africa captain Shaun Pollock as he tried to pull a ball that kept a touch low. His runs came off 77 deliveries with 10 boundaries. Earlier, Kallis (87) and Lance Klusener (60 not out) dug South Africa out of a hole to take the home team to 253 for seven in their allotted 50 overs after they were asked to bat by Sri Lankan skipper Sanath Jayasuriya. South Africa dipped to 35 for four and then to 71 for five before Pollock joined Kallis to put on 81 for the sixth wicket. (Reuters)
