South Africa beat Sri Lanka by five wickets

South Africa notched up their second straight win in the Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong Cricket Sixes 2001 being played at Kowloon Cricket Club in Hong Kong, on Saturday.

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. De Saram and Kulatunga pinched 12 runs off the first over bowled by Crookes. Henry Williams over cost South Africa 18 runs as De Saram smashed couple of fours and a six.

Loots Bosman bowled the third over and the very first ball say Kulatunga get a thick edge down to the third-man fence. Kulatunga smacked a huge six over long on and then played a fine late-cut to the third man boundary.

Kulatunga (19) hit a ball high and Elworthy took the catch. De Saram followed that sequence with a four and a six to make it 26 runs off the over. De Saram retired not out 33* (11 balls, 3 fours, 3 sixes) and after three overs Sri Lanka were 56/1.

Andrew Hall bowled the fourth over and did well by giving away just 11 runs. In the meanwhile Jonty Rhodes ran out his counterpart Hathurasinga, for a change Rhodes is not at the customary point, but behind the stumps as a wicket keeper.

Elworthy bowled a brilliant last over, giving away just 12 runs. Sri Lanka finished with 79/2 off five overs, Wanasinghe remained unbeaten on 15 off 7 balls (3 fours).

Chasing a target of 80 runs to register their second win of the day, South Africa took 18 runs off the Upashantha over, Crookes hitting three fours and Bosman striking one.

Bosman smacked a massive six off Chandna, straight and high over the bowler's head. He followed it up with a cracking on drive for four. Bosman perished hitting the ball straight down Wanasinghe's throat at long on, off the fourth ball of the second over.

Crookes gave Chandna the charge and was lucky to make back into his crease in time, not to be given out stumped. Crookes struck one more four to make it 14 runs off the over.

Wanasinghe bowled a superb over giving away just eight runs after being hit for a four off the very first ball, which helped the pendulum swing in Sri Lanka's favour. South Africa were 40/1 after three overs.

Crookes lofted Hathurasingha for a massive six off the first ball and then took a single to give Andrew Hall the strike. Hall stepped up the tempo by striking a four and lofting two consecutive sixes to make it 25 runs off the over.

Required to make 15 runs off six balls, Crookes smashed De Saram's first ball high over long on for a six. Crookes had to retire not out 32* (11 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes). Rhodes came in and whipped the ball around the corner for a four and then stole a quick single off the fifth ball to take South Africa to 80/1. Hall remained unbeaten on 25 off nine balls.