4th ODI: South Africa v Sri Lanka at Kimberley, 4 Dec 2002
Charlie Austin 		CricInfo.com
Sri Lanka innings: Innings close,
Pre-game: Toss,
South Africa innings: RSA won by 8 wickets,

SOUTH AFRICA WIN BY EIGHT WICKETS AND TAKE THE SERIES
Herschelle Gibbs scored an unbeaten century as South Africa crushed Sri Lanka by eight wickets to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in this five-match series at the De Beers Diamond Oval on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka had high hopes of leveling the series here after a resounding win in third game at Benoni but a combination of ill-fortune, electric fielding and sloppy batting now leaves fighting for only pride in the final game on Friday.

Sri Lanka threatened a competitive score after being asked to bat first, racing to 57 without loss after the first ten overs, but a freak run out sparked a dramatic top order collapse and they were bowled out for 184.

Such a meager target was never likely to be sufficient on a flat batting surface, but new ball bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Pulasthi Gunaratne sent jitters through the South Africa top order with the early wickets of Andrew Hall (2) and Neil McKenzie (7),

However, the experienced Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis quickly reasserted their authority over the visitors in a record unbroken 173 run partnership for the third wicket.

Gibbs, who came into the game with successive failures in the series, finally hit form after an awkward start, smashing a succession of boundaries, including a remarkable punch over mid-wicket to bring up his 11th one-day century.

The right-handed opener finished with 108 from just 92 balls having hit 14 fours and three sixes.

Kallis has had no such problems with his form coming into the game and he carried on where he left off at Benoni, cruising to his third half-century of the series, finishing unbeaten 64 from 83 balls having hit five fours and a six.

Under pressure to take quick wickets, the discipline shown by Sri Lanka’s bowlers last Sunday evaporated and South Africa reached their target with an embarrassing 19.1 overs to spare.

But it was the batsmen who shouldered most responsibility for the defeat, like they did at Wanderers and Centurion where they were bowled out for an unacceptable 140 and 128.

They had started the day well enough with Marvan Atapattu playing gloriously against the new ball, driving through the covers on the up and cutting imperiously, as he raced to 39 from 46 balls.

But his purple form was wasted by a lackadaisical piece of running, as the right-hander was adjudged to have not ground his bat or foot the crease by television umpire Brian Jerling after a cheeky backwards flick from wicket-keeper Mark Boucher.

The Sri Lankans, who were seething immediately after the decision, will claim with some justification that there was too much doubt for Jerling to press the red light, but Atapattu was guilty of ignoring the basics as he failed to run in his bat properly after ambling back from a comfortable two.

The incident changed the course of the game, visibly rattling the impulsive Sri Lankans, who hit the self-destruct button, losing four wickets for just seven runs.

Kumar Sangakkara (1) pulled a Kallis long hop straight into the hands of square leg and Aravinda de Silva (0) followed his fine 71 in the last match with a duck as he top edged an attempted hook.

An astonishing one-handed airbourne catch by McKenzie – playing his first game of the series - then accounted for Jayasuriya (27 from 33 balls) and Mahela Jaywardene (9) was trapped lbw by Alan Donald to leave Sri Lanka on 97 for five.

Russel Arnold produced provided some timely resistance with the Sri Lankan selectors set to finalise their squad for Australia on Saturday, scoring 50 from 88 balls, adding 34 for the seventh wicket with Hashan Tillakaratne.

But the fight-back proved shortlived as Tillakaratne swung across the line against Pollock and was bowled. The rest of the tail were then blown away, although Gunaratne did add 29 for the last wicket with Arnold.

Donald was the most successful bowler, taking three wickets for 18 runs from his allotted ten overs. Pollock also claimed a three-for.


SRI LANKA COLLAPSE AFTER FREAK RUN OUT OF ATAPATTU
A bizarre run out sparked a dramatic Sri Lankan top order collapse in the fourth One-Day International at the De Beers Diamond Oval on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka, needing to win this game to stay in the series, were bowled out for a paltry 184 in 47.3 overs on an excellent batting pitch.

South Africa, who had won the first two games at Wanderers and Centurion, should now wrap up this five-match series this evening.

The tourist’s had looked set to post a large first innings score after racing to 57 without loss in the first 10 overs.

Atapattu was batting gloriously, driving through the covers on the up and square cutting powerfully, continuing his match-winning form from Benoni.

However, the right-hander was then run-out in freak circumstances whilst ambling back to his crease after what should have been a comfortable two.

Wicket-keeper Mark Boucher collected Makhaya Ntini’s return from the square boundary and, with his back to the wicket, dislodged the stumps with a speculative backwards flick.

The fielders appealed and television umpire Brian Jerling, who decided that neither bat nor foot was grounded at the time that the stumps were broken, adjudged Atapattu out.

The decision appeared fair but his teammates in the dressing room were visibly furious whilst a shocked Atapattu, who had scored 39 from 46 balls, crawled off the field.

Five balls later Kumar Sangakkara (1) was dismissed softly as he pulled a short long hop straight into the hands of Neil McKenzie at square leg.

Aravinda de Silva followed his heroics at Benoni, where he scored 71, with a duck as he top edged an attempted hook in Jacques Kallis’s second over.

Sri Lanka, who had lost three wickets in the space of 17 balls, were 64 for three having lost their early advantage.

An astonishing one-handed airbourne catch by McKenzie – playing his first game of the series - then accounted for Jayasuriya (27 from 33 balls) immediately after the first drinks break of the afternoon.

Mahela Jaywardene (9) was trapped lbw by Alan Donald, who took two wickets for eight runs in his first six over spell, to leave Sri Lanka on 97 for five.

Hashan Tillakaratne (18) and Russel Arnold consolidated, adding 34 runs for the seventh wicket.

But the fight-back was cut short when Pollock returned to the bowling attack and bowled Tillakaratne as the left-hander swung across the line.

Chaminda Vaas (4) was given a reprieve on three when Jonty Rhodes lost the ball in the setting sun, but was deceived soon after by a slower ball from Pollock.

Lance Klusner quickly dispatched tailender Prabath Nissanka (1) with a leg-cutter and Donald snared Dilhara Fernando down the leg-side in the next over.

Arnold produced a timely cameo with the Sri Lankan selectors set to finalise their squad for Australia on Saturday, scoring 50 from 88 balls, including three boundaries.

The left-hander added 29 useful runs for the last wicket with number eleven Pulasthi Gunaratne before being caught off a waist high full toss that was not no balled.

Donald was the most successful bowler, taking three wickets for 18 runs from his allotted ten overs.


POLLOCK WINS THE TOSS AND FIELDS IN KIMBERLEY
South Africa captain Shaun Pollock won the toss and elected to bowl in the fourth One-Day International at the De Beers Diamond Oval on Wednesday.

South Africa made three changes to the side that lost the third game by seven wickets at Benoni.

All-rounder Andrew Hall - who is expected to open the innings - spinning all-rounder Robin Peterson and middle order batsman Neil McKenzie come into the side.

Boeta Dippenaar, Nicky Boje and Graeme Smith are all rested as the selectors look at their options before the forthcoming World Cup.

Sri Lanka - looking to level the series today and set-up a Friday decider at Bloemfontein - made one change, recalling pace bowler Pulasthi Gunaratne, who has recovered from a knee injury.

Chamila Gamage is unfortunate to miss out after taking two crucial top order wickets at Benoni.

Sri Lanka:

Sanath Jayasuriya (Capt), Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara, Russel Arnold, Mahela Jayawardene, Aravinda de Silva, Pulasthi Gunaratne, Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando, Prabath Nissanka, Hashan Tillakaratne

South Africa:

Shaun Pollock (Capt), Mark Boucher, Allan Donald, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Lance Klusener, Makhaya Ntini, Jonty Rhodes, Robin Peterson, Neil McKenzie

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Date-stamped : 04 Dec2002 - 23:14