Rex Clementine in Delhi

Some serious questions were asked on Saturday (7) night in Delhi as to how Sri Lanka will fare in this ICC Cricket World Cup after South Africa posted a record 428 for five and then bowled them out to post a comprehensive 102 run win here in a one-sided game.

On a newly laid pitch and an outfield that was electric, the ball was flying and Sri Lanka simply didn’t have answers to stop the run flow as South Africa posted the highest total ever recorded in the history of World Cups.

The Proteas broke Australia’s record of 417 for five made against Afghanistan in 2015. It’s also the highest total in Delhi with the previous highest being the 330 for eight made by the West Indies in 2011.

Sri Lanka bowlers were at the receiving end yes, but if the condition in the tournament so far is anything to go by, we are going to see the 400-barrier broken on a few more occasions as well as wickets are tailor-made for the batters.

Three South Africans helped themselves  to centuries. While Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen scored hundreds and shared a 204-run partnership for the second wicket, it was Aiden Markram batting at number four who took the game away from Sri Lanka scoring the fastest hundred in the World Cups getting there in 49 balls. Kevin O’Brien had reached the milestone in 50 balls against England in Bangalore in 2011.

Sri Lanka were not shaken up by the hammering. Kusal Mendis put up a splendid show and was backed up by Charith Asalanka and Dasun Shanaka, who posted half-centuries.

Marco Jansen cleaned up Pathum Nissanka with an inswinger and then Mendis walked in and carted the South African quicks to all over the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.

The Sri Lankan vice-captain reached his half-century in 25 balls with three fours and six sixes and Kusal Perera, the aggressive batsman in the side was a mere spectator. In fact, during their 66-run stand for the second wicket, Perera contributed a mere seven in 15 balls.

Kagiso Rabada eventually had Mendis caught behind much to the relief of his team. He departed for a fabulous 76 that came off 42 balls with four fours and eight sixes.

Charith Asalanka went onto top score with 79 off 65 balls with eight fours and four sixes while captain Dasun Shanaka may have saved his place with a much-needed half-century.

Scorecard
South Africa innings
Quinton de Kock c de Silva b Pathirana                       100
Temba Bavuma lbw b Madushanka                                  8
Rassie van der Dussen c Sadeera b Wellalage             108
Aiden Markram c Rajitha b Madushanka                     106
Heinrich Klassen c Shanaka b Rajitha                            32
David Miller not out                                                          39
Marco Jansen not out                                                        12
Extras: (lb 1, w 21, nb 1)                                                 23
Total: (for five wickets)                                           428

Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Bavuma), 2-214 (de Kock), 3-264 (van der Dussen), 4-342 (Klassen), 5-383 (Markram).
Did not bat: Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj and Lungi Ngidi.
Bowling: Kasun Rajitha 10-1-90-1 (w 2), Dilshan Madushanka 10-0-86-2 (w 3) (nb 1), Dasun Shanaka 6-0-36-0, Dhananjaya de Silva 4-0-39-0 (w 1), Matheesha Pathirana 10-0-95-1 (w 13), Dunith Wellalage 10-0-81-1 (w 2)

Sri Lanka innings
Pathum Nissanka b Jansen                                                 0
Kusal Perera b Jansen                                                         7
Kusal Mendis c Klassen b Rabada                                   76
Sadeera Samarawickrama c Jansen b  Coetzee             23
Charith Asalanka c sub b Ngidi                                       79
Dhananjaya de Silva c Bavuma b Maharaj                     11
Dasun Shanaka b Maharaj                                                68
Dunith Wellalage c Klassen b Coetzee                              0
Kasun Rajitha c Markram b Coetzee                                33
Matheesha Pathirana b Rabada                                          5
Dilshan Madushanka not out                                             4
Extras: (lb 5, w 14, nb 1)                                                   20
Total: (all out)                                                           326

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Nissanka), 2-67 (Perera), 3-109 (Mendis), 4-111 (Sadeera), 5-150 (de Silva), 6-232 (Asalanka), 7-233 (Wellalage), 8-291 (Shanaka), 9-322 (Rajitha).
Bowling: Lungi Ngidi 8-1-49-1 (w 2), Marco Jansen 10-0-92-2 (w 3), Kagiso Rabada 7.5-0-50-2 (nb 1) (w 2), Keshav Maharaj 10-0-62-2 (w 6), Gerald  Coetzee 9-0-68-3 (w 1).