Sri Lanka vs South Africa, 2nd ODI - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Captains corner

Mathews, SL captain: We give away too many wickets upfront and were always playing catch up since then. Never got going at all with the bat. Unfortunately, we didn't hold onto the catches as well because you need to take those when you are defending such a score. We were terrible in the field today. The bowlers did fairly well but we didn't field properly. Need to put it aside and move forward. He (Dickwella) has gone for a scan and should be okay I guess. (On Dananjaya's good form) Brilliant to see him do well, there are some positives and we can still stay alive in the series if we win the next game. (On his personal form) Yes, good to get runs but my hands were tied with those wickets falling, couldn't really press on as I would have wanted to. Yeah, my back is fine.

Du Plessis, SA captain: (On change in fortune in the ODI series) We are always renowned for fighting back. These conditions are more in favor of the home team, today was trickier but we adapted well. Was a decent surface, an ideal One-Day wicket that stayed almost the same till the end. We did well to be positive early and not to chase the game against their spinners. That's the thing we did well. Excellent bowling performance, seemed like Sri Lanka would get 280-300 but we kept getting wickets. We kept pulling it back even with them having a set batsmen. Plans were good and the execution was great. Not sure really, not thinking too much about it, just trying to be positive. Feeling good about the way I am batting and the big runs will come. Feeling like I am able to put pressure on the bowlers.

Another defeat for SL!

Sri Lanka have been going through a barren run in the ODI format since the 2015 World Cup, capsulised by the point that they have lost nine bilateral series in that period. During tough times, Sri Lanka would have hoped to paddle through the endless tunnel of darkness to reach safer waters. Unfortunately for the island nation, they still seem to be stuck in the tunnel as they slid to a four-wicket loss in the second ODI against South Africa in Dambulla, on Wednesday (August 1). On a surface that looked quite tricky to bat on, the visitors chased down the target of 245 in 42.5 overs to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

After putting up a decent effort with the bat on a used-up surface, the Sri Lankan camp would have hoped for a fine show in the field. Unfortunately, the hosts fluffed sitters and followed it up with a slew of misfields. To make matters worse, barring Akila Dananjaya, Sri Lanka's bowling was also mostly below par.

Just to encapsulate Sri Lanka's poor fielding, South Africa had amassed just 19 on the board when Hashim Amla (43) flicked one straight to midwicket only for Kusal Perera to drop a dolly. With the tourists on 29 for no loss, Quinton de Kock (87) flicked one to Dananjaya who too missed an easy chance. On both occasions, Kasun Rajitha was the unlucky bowler.

Despite Angelo Mathews getting his team together for a chat, their fielding woes didn't end. Suranga Lakmal and Rajitha misfielded a couple of times as the ball rocketed to the fence. By then, Amla and de Kock were in good nick, playing a string of shots on both sides of the wicket. Amla swept and flicked while de Kock drove, flicked and occasionally, chipped down the track to reach his fifty in just 43 balls.

Sri Lanka desperately needed a wicket and Dananjaya provided the breakthrough by removing Amla. It was a juicy full toss but Amla could only chip it back to the bowler. Dananjaya then sent Aiden Markram, who has looked woefully out of form, back to the hut. Faf du Plessis (49), the skipper, and de Kock, however, put South Africa in a cruise mode with a 53-run stand for the third wicket before the latter became Rajitha's maiden scalp.

Dananjaya followed it up by prising out du Plessis and David Miller nibbled at one in the channel outside the off stump. JP Duminy, too, was dismissed, hitting one straight to cover to cause a few flutters in the visiting camp. Andile Phehlukwayo and Willem Mulder put paid to Sri Lanka's hopes of pulling off a heist with an undefeated stand of 15 for the seventh wicket. It could have got tense for the visitors, but a loud appeal for LBW against Mulder was turned down. HawkEye showed Three Reds but Sri Lanka by then had used up their review.

After another disappointing show, the hosts have a lot of soul-searching to do ahead of the crucial third ODI in Pallekele on August 5. On the other hand, South Africa would look to seal the rubber.

Sri Lanka with a sniff...

A couple of quick strikes have given Sri Lanka a sniff. Faf du Plessis was out to a soft dismissal, as Dananjaya grabbed his second caught and bowled chance. Miller then pushed at one that left him on the angle and was dislodged. 198 for 5 now.

De Kock misses out on ton

De Kock looked set for his 14th ODI century before he was snuffed out by Rajitha - his maiden ODI scalp. It was a half volley on leg stump, waiting to be smashed but de Kock found the fielder in the deep to perfection. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, need a few more wickets to stay in the game.

Markram's misery vs spin

Markram's misery against spin continues. He initially wanted to skip down the track but yet again (on this tour) he was too early into the shot. Dananjaya spotted it and shortened his length. Eventually, Markram decided to stay back and eked out an edge and was pouched by Kusal. It has been that kind of a tour for Markram where he hasn't been able to judge the length quickly.

Finally a wicket!

After sitters were dropped followed by a slew of misfields, Dananjaya grabbed a catch off his bowling to send Amla back to the hut. It was a juicy full toss and Amla chipped it back to the bowler. Not the kind of delivery that Dananjaya would have expected to get a scalp but the hosts desperately needed that wicket. Sri Lanka's bowling and fielding have been way below par so far!

Meanwhile, de Kock has cracked a fluent fifty. He has used the cut and flick to great effect.