3rd ODI SL v SA: South Africa stun Sri Lanka to stay alive in ODI series

David Miller and Lonwabo Tsotsobe played key roles as South Africa stunned hosts Sri Lanka by 56 runs in the third one-dayer in Pallekele on Friday to stay afloat in the five-match series.

Miller plundered a robust 85 not out off 72 balls to steer South Africa to 223-7 after unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis had reduced the tourists to 154-7 in the 42nd over.

Tsotsobe then ripped through Sri Lanka's top order with three wickets in the space of six runs before finishing with 4-22 as the hosts were bundled out for 167 in the day-night game.

The victory ended South Africa's 11-match losing streak in one-day cricket on Sri Lankan soil and gave AB de Villiers' tourists a badly-needed win in the current series.

With Sri Lanka 2-1 ahead, South Africa must also win the fourth match at the same venue on Sunday to take the series into the decider in Colombo next Wednesday.

Thisara Perera lit up the gloomy evening for the hosts by smashing five sixes and a boundary in the 33rd over sent down by left-arm spinner Robin Peterson.

With the second ball declared a wide, the 35 runs taken in the over fell just one run short of the world record of six sixes hit by South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs off Dutch bowler Daan van Bunge during the 2007 World Cup.

Perera's run sequence in the over was six, a wide, six, six, six, four and a six, but his sensational hitting came too late for the hosts to deliver an unlikely win.

Left-handed Perera made 65 off 49 balls with five sixes and as many boundaries, before he was caught in the deep off Farhaan Behardien, who finished with three for 19.

Sri Lanka paid the penalty for a shoddy batting display in which six batsmen failed to reach double figures and only two others entered their 20s.

Earlier, Miller hit five sixes and four boundaries to boost the total from 100-5 after South Africa had won the toss and elected to take first strike.

Skipper AB de Villiers led the recovery with 47, before left-handed Miller pushed the scoring with his fifth one-day half-century, the first by a South African in the series.

Miller put on 69 for the eighth wicket with Ryan McLaren, who remained unbeaten on 14.

SOUTH AFRICA INNINGS

David Miller smashed a robust 85 not out off 72 balls to steer South Africa to 223/7 in the third one-day international against Sri Lanka in Pallekele on Friday.

The left-hander smashed five sixes and four boundaries after a three-wicket haul from unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis had reduced the tourists to 154-7 in the 42nd over.

South Africa need a win to stay afloat in the five-match series, having lost the first two games in Colombo.

The Proteas, missing star batsman Hashim Amla due to a knee injury suffered in the previous match, had slipped to 100-5 after winning the toss in the day-night match.

Skipper AB de Villiers led the recovery with 47, before Miller pushed the scoring with his fifth one-day half-century, the first by a South African in the series.

Miller put on 69 for the eighth wicket with Ryan McLaren, who remained unbeaten on 14.

Angelo Mathews was back to lead Sri Lanka after serving a two-match suspension for his team's slow over-rates during the recent tri-series in the West Indies.

Sling-arm fast bowler Lasith Malinga provided an early break for the third time in the series when he had Alviro Petersen gloving a catch to the wicket-keeper in the fifth over.

South Africa carried the score to 50-1 in the 14th over when seamer Thisara Perera removed Quinton de Kock and JP Duminy in successive overs to make it 53-3.

Faf du Plessis helped de Villiers put on 42 for the fourth wicket before being run out for 16 after his partner called for a risky single.

Mendis bowled both Farhaan Behardien and Robin Peterson, and had danger man de Villiers caught behind to finish with three for 35 from his 10 overs.

Both sides made three changes from the previous match.

Amla was replaced by de Kock and the visitors also included Behardien and Lonwabo Tsotsobe in place of Aaron Phangiso and Chris Morris.

The hosts brought in Mathews, Mendis and debutant batsman Angelo Perera for Shaminda Eranga, Lahiru Thirimanne and Jehan Mubarak.

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