<p style="text-align:justify"><strong>Sri Lanka suffer humiliating defeat in first ODI against South Africa – Cricket News Update</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:justify">South Africa draws first blood in the five match One-Day International series against Sri Lanka. The tourist suffered a humiliating 258 runs defeat in the match played at Boland Park, Paarl on Wednesday, January 11, 2012.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify">Batting first, the Proteas set a gigantic total of 301 runs for the loss of eight wickets. Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis played out of their skins, and scored 112 and 72 runs respectively.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify">In reply to South Africa’s total, the Lankan batting line-up faltered and was dislodged for a mere 43 runs in 20.1 overs. Proteas bowlers Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe were seemingly unplayable with the new ball and shared
seven wickets between them.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify">The tourists had lost hopes of salvaging a win, within just eight overs of their batting innings. Top six batsmen of Sri Lanka were back in the pavilion with just 13 runs on the board, and if wasn’t for some last minute blows from
Kosala Kulasekara, the visitors would have been dismissed for the lowest total in ODI history.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify">Kulasekara struck 19 runs from 46 deliveries to become Sri Lanka’s highest scorer in the match. Apart from the 26-year-old all-rounder, no other batsmen in the Lankan contingent could even get to double figures.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify">Sri Lankan skipper, Tillakaratne Dilshan, was not at all impressed with the efforts from his boys. The losing captain acknowledged South Africa’s bowling with the new ball while he lamented over his teams batting debacle.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify">Speaking at the match presentation, Dilshan said, “The key was the first five overs. They bowled really good lines and it was very difficult to come back. We bowled well in the last few overs and came back a bit but unfortunately
our batsmen couldn't put runs.”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify">AB de Villiers, South Africa's new captain, was playing in his first match as full time skipper. The wicket-keeper batsman was thrilled with the start to his captaincy career.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify">De Villiers said, “Dream start for me as captain. Some individuals stood up there - Morne Morkel and Amla. I thought there was something in the pitch for the bowlers and we used it. Guys running in and bowling at 140+ was good.”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify">Sri Lanka has a couple of days to sort things out before the two sides lock horns in the second ODI of the series to be played at Buffalo Park, East London on Saturday, January 14.</p>
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