Kallis, Amla absence gives Sri Lanka an opening

It is tough to find positives when you are 0-2 down in a five-match series, but Sri Lanka have cause for relief following their show in the second ODI. They stretched South Africa for a fleeting passage of play in the last game, suggesting they had woken up from the 43 all out nightmare. It was a game the visitors conceded with eight balls to spare, leaving in its wake a series of ifs and buts. If Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal had produced 15 more runs in the end overs, if Tillakaratne Dilshan had shown more perceptiveness with his bowling changes, if Lasith Malinga had somehow clung on to a tough return catch off the first ball that Albie Morkel faced, the result could have been different. But South Africa outlasted the best Sri Lanka had to offer, and are a game away from taking the series.

Read more...