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Sri Lankan victory marred by injury
Wisden CricInfo staff - August 21, 2002

Close Sri Lanka 235 for 7 (Jayasuriya 71) beat South Africa 208 (Boucher 70) by 27 runs
Scorecard

Sanath Jayasuriya experienced a day of mixed fortunes, as Sri Lanka lifted the inaugural Morocco Cup with a 27-run victory over South Africa. Jayasuriya, who won the toss and launched Sri Lanka's innings with a run-a-ball 71, later dislocated his shoulder while taking a catch off Herschelle Gibbs, and may now miss the Champions Trophy next month.

It was not the first time Sri Lanka had lost a key player to a shoulder injury during a one-day final: back in April, Muttiah Muralitharan damaged his left shoulder against Pakistan at Sharjah – and his team had subsequently folded. This time, however, they were made of stronger stuff, and it was South Africa, chasing 236 for victory, who slumped to 91 for 6 in the 26th over.

Boeta Dippenaar and Mark Boucher raised visions of a miraculous South African win by smashing 101 off 112 balls for the seventh wicket, but when Dippenaar was caught in the deep off Pulasthi Gunaratne for 53, South Africa still needed 44 from 34 balls. Boucher did his utmost to keep up with the rate, but with wickets falling and dot-balls gathering at the other end, he was last man out, caught behind - again off Gunaratne - for 70 from 65 balls.

Sri Lanka had earlier had visions of a massive total when they galloped to 167 for 2 in the 33rd over. Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu added 78 for the first wicket in the first 15 overs, and were particularly severe on Roger Telemachus, who was carted for 36 runs in his first four overs.

But some reckless strokeplay led to a middle-order collapse of five wickets for 42 runs. Donald, coming on as third change, started the rot with his fourth ball, as Atapattu flicked uppishly to Graeme Smith at short midwicket.

Jayasuriya had hammered ten fours and a six when he lofted Boje down Donald's throat at long-on (119 for 2), and Boje earned another lucky break when Kumar Sangakkara (40) pulled a flighted ball straight to Boeta Dippenaar on the midwicket fence (167 for 3).

Aravinda de Silva raced to 33 in ominous fashion before edging a rising delivery from Jacques Kallis to Mark Boucher (179 for 4), and Sri Lanka had slumped to 209 for 7 before some calculated hitting from Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan added a vital 26 runs for the eighth wicket.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd