Faf du Plessis led from the front, smashing an unbeaten 89 in South Africa A’s comprehensive seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka A in Harare
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-2012
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Faf du Plessis led from the front, smashing an unbeaten 89 in South Africa A’s comprehensive seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka A in Harare. South Africa’s third straight win also took them to the final of the tri-series.Sri Lanka chose to bat and put together 245 for 7, driven by half-centuries from opener Udara Jayasundara and Dilruwan Perera. Sri Lanka, though, would have hoped for more, after their openers Jayasundara and Dimuth Karunaratne, also their captain, added 87 at almost a run-a-ball. Once South Africa started making steady inroads, they slipped to 166 for 6, before a 73-run seventh-wicket stand involving Perera and Sachitra Serasinghe, who made 27, gave them a competitive total. Seamer Rory Klienveldt picked up 2 for 38 and Chris Morris was the most economical, going for just 27 in ten overs.In their response, South Africa lost opener Dean Elgar early but Richard Levi hit a quickfire 63, including five sixes and a four. Sri Lanka still had a chance with South Africa on 126 for 3 around the halfway mark, but du Plessis, supported by an unbeaten 51 from Reeza Hendricks, ensured victory for his team with four overs to spare.