Kumar Sangakkara

Sanath Jayasuriya and Avishka Gunawardene opened the batting for the hosts. The first wicket fell with the score 18 on when Shaun Pollock got a ball to cut back into Jayasuriya and strike middle and off. Jayasuriya was gone for nine off 15 deliveries.

Sri Lankan skipper Marvan Atapattu joined Gunawardene and added a further 27 runs before Makhaya Ntini intervened. The latter got Gunawardene to play away from his body, edge the ball and Mark Boucher took the catch. Gunawardene departed for 21.

The in-form Kumar Sangakkara arrived in the middle with the score on 45 for two. Atapattu played some glorious strokes through the covers before he too was caught behind off Ntini's bowling for 26.

Mahela Jayawardene was unable to get off the mark in 12 deliveries, before Boucher again took the catch. This time Lance Klusener was the wicket-taker. Tillakaratne Dilshan, after playing so well in the first ODI, arrived at the middle with the score on 72 for four. He was not given a chance to repeat the performance, before Jacques Kallis had him caught behind.

Upul Chandana and Sangakkara consolidated the innings with a 93-run partnership. Confusion between the two resulted in Sangakkara being run out at the bowler's end for a crucial innings of 63.

Chaminda Vaas made seven before he too was run out at the bowler's end. This time Graeme Smith picked up at midwicket and ran to the bowler's end with ball in hand to whip off the bails.

Jacques Kallis picked up his second wicket after trapping Kaushal Lokuarachchi in front with a full toss. The allrounder's third wicket came off the last ball of the innings, when he clean bowled Nuwan Zoysa for six.

Upul Chandana remained unbeaten on a very important 61 off 113 deliveries.

Kallis returned 3/20 in 6 overs and Ntini 2/50 from ten.