Miller's late blitz lifts South Africa to 223

25 overs Sri Lanka 72 for 4 (Chandimal 27*, Mathews 1* ) need 152 runs to beat South Africa 223 for 7 (Miller 85*, Mendis 3-35)
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South Africa dictated proceedings for the first time in the series as they pegged Sri Lanka back in what is a must-win game for the tourists. A fit-again Lonwabo Tsotsobe did the bulk of the damage, with three wickets in a six-over spell in which he extracted bounce and produced seam movement to have Sri Lanka's top order in trouble in more challenging conditions that what they are used to.

Morne Morkel worked well with Tsotsobe, creating pressure from his end with pace and steep lift to give South Africa the good start they had been lacking in previous matches. The pair produced eight dot balls before a run was scored and claimed a first wicket in the fourth over.

Tillakaratne Dilshan offered a simple catch to AB de Villiers at cover as he tried to drive a back of a length ball. De Villiers was in the field and not behind the stumps because Quinton de Kock was the designated wicketkeeper, even though de Villiers confirmed he would "definitely" keep in the ODIs before the tour, "unless I pick up a niggle".

While de Villiers' fitness will come under scrutiny, Tsotsobe seems to have recovered from the ankle impingement which kept him out of the first two matches. He struck again in the same over, in a big way, when he got one to move away from Kumar Sangakkara to have Sri Lanka's talisman caught by JP Duminy for a duck.

Morkel continued to get the ball to jab into the batsmen's ribs, especially Upul Tharanga's, and Tsotsobe removed him. He got one to bounce sharply and take the edge and Alviro Petersen at slip to collected. At 16 for 3, Sri Lanka were under pressure and de Villiers kept Tsotsobe on to ensure they stayed under the pump.

He probably bowled one over too many - his sixth went for nine runs - but Ryan McLaren also assisted with the strangulation. A spinner was only introduced in the 14th over when Robin Peterson came on. He reviewed an lbw shout against Mahela Jayawardene, which Peterson was convinced was out, but replays showed it was missing leg.

Sri Lanka's batsmen were more comfortable against the slower bowlers and de Villiers brought Morkel back to try and unsettle them. But it was Peterson who almost broke through. He drew Jayawardene forward with a flighted ball which spun past the outside edge and thought he had him stumped.

A lengthy delay showed the foot and the line too close to call and with doubt surrounding the dismissal, Jayawardene survived. His stand with Dinesh Chandimal grew to fifty but Peterson had the last laugh. As the halfway stage approached, he produced a delivery which skidded on and bowled Jayawardene through the gate.

With the required run-rate touching six an over and a debutant to come, Sri Lanka will have to work hard to seal the series today.

South Africa 223 for 7 (Miller 85*, Mendis 3-35 ) v Sri Lanka
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After three innings in Sri Lanka, South Africa recorded their first fifty courtesy David Miller. The No. 7 batsman was the only one to show the temperament to survive, at first, and thrive later on against a Sri Lanka attack that gave very few scoring opportunities with good lengths and tight lines.

Still, the hosts will need to register the highest successful chase in Pallekele - the previous best was 198 - to seal the series. They leaked runs in the last two overs, which cost them 38, and that could prove decisive on a pitch that may become more difficult to bat on as the game goes on.

Even if South Africa have Miller and his final burst to thank for keeping them alive, they have to assess their batting performance with a critical eye after their top order failed again. In the absence of the injured Hashim Amla, South Africa fielded a new opening pair - their third in three matches - with Lions' team-mates Alviro Petersen and Quinton de Kock fronting up first.

Petersen was watchful, apart from taking advantage of a stray Angela Mathews ball that veered too far down the leg side, but de Kock battled to curb his attacking instincts. He was loose outside the offstump, though, did not move his feet enough and offered a chance in the fourth over. Tillakaratne Dilshan at slip let de Kock off on just 5 but Sri Lanka struck again two balls later. Lasith Malinga bowled his first bouncer and Petersen was too early on the hook. He gloved it to Kumar Sangakkara.

De Kock retreated even further into his shell with Petersen's departure and continued to look vulnerable outside the offstump. That eventually led to his demise when he was caught in two minds playing at a wide Thisara Perera ball and edged behind.

JP Duminy looked in good touch, as he has throughout the series, but his promise amounted to very little. He drove, cut and swept with authority but when he tried to run Perera down to third man, he inside-edged onto his stumps to depart for another score in the 20s.

Faf du Plessis' stay at the crease was similar. He was involved in risky running with his captain, AB de Villiers and could have been found short of his ground on a few occasions before he eventually was. De Villiers called him through for a quick single and du Plessis could not make his ground.

Neither he, nor de Villiers, has managed a half-century in their last five innings but de Villiers looked set to change that. He showed patience amid the lack of boundaries and cashed in on the few run-scoring chances Sri Lanka offered, such as Malinga's low full toss, but eventually fell to Ajantha Mendis for 47.

Sri Lanka's mystery spinner caused problems for South Africa's middle order. Farhaan Behardien - who bowled by the first ball he faced from Mendis - nor Robin Peterson could pick him but Miller showed more prowess.

He struggled in the early part of his innings but had de Villiers to usher him through and grew in confidence as the innings went on. He hit the only sixes in the South African innings, all off Thisara Perera. Two of them went down the ground, showing Miller's ability to hit into the V, and timed his burst well.

Miller scored 35 runs off the last two overs, including 18 off Malinga, to take South Africa to a total history says they can defend. Their bowlers will need to operate with the same miserliness Sri Lanka's did to keep them in the contest.

Source: http://www.espncricinfo.com/sri-lanka-v-south-africa-2013/content/story/655329.html?CMP=OTC-RSS

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