Sri Lanka 2-0 up Against South Africa

Rangana Herath took two crucial wickets as Sri Lanka defeated South Africa in the rain-affected one-dayer in Colombo on Tuesday, taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

South Africa, set a revised target of 176 from 29 overs, were 104-5 in 21 overs when a heavy downpour at the Premadasa stadium forced the match to be called off.
With 121-5 being the par score at that stage, the Proteas lost by 17 runs to suffer their second defeat in the series following the 180-run loss in the first match last Saturday.
Left-arm spinner Herath trapped opener Alviro Petersen leg-before for 24, and had Faf du Plessis caught behind to reduce the Proteas to 69-5 by the 14th over.
David Miller (22 not out) and Ryan McLaren (14 not out) put on 35 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket before rain ruined their hopes of pulling off an upset.
South Africa were dealt another blow as star batsman Hashim Amla injured his left knee while fielding and was rushed to hospital for precautionary scans.
Amla, who had been sidelined for the first match due to a strained back, was unable to bat and faces a race against time to be fit for the third match in Pallekele on Friday.
Earlier, fast bowler Morne Morkel claimed 3-34 as the hosts were restricted to 223-9 in 49.2 overs after they won the toss and elected to bat.
Sri Lanka's stand-in captain Dinesh Chandimal and opener Tillakaratne Dilshan top-scored with 43 apiece before heavy rain ended the innings with four deliveries still to be bowled.
South Africa regrouped after the heavy defeat in the first match to keep the free-stroking Sri Lankan batsmen in check on the slow wicket.
Sri Lanka lost opener Upul Tharanga in the fourth over before a second wicket stand of 59 between Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara helped them recover to 66-1 in the 18th over.
Sangakkara, who smashed a career-best 169 on Saturday, hit six boundaries in his 37 before he mistimed a drive off left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso and was caught in the covers.
South Africa pegged the hosts down to 123-4 in 30 overs as Mahela Jayawardene was bowled by Robin Peterson for 17 and Dilshan was caught behind off Morkel soon after.
Chandimal, leading Sri Lanka in place of the banned Angelo Mathews, boosted the total with four boundaries in his 51-ball innings.

Two Sri Lankan umpires officiated after Australia's Rod Tucker, who was due to stand at one end, fell ill before the start.
Earlier, Sri Lanka have won the toss and elected to bat..
One change for the tourist, Hashim Amla is back in place of Colin Ingram. The hosts remain unchanged.
Match has been 30-minutes delayed.

Teams:

Sri Lanka: Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera, Dinesh Chandimal (Captain), Jehan Mubarak, Rangana Herath, Shaminda Eranga, Lasith Malinga

South Africa: Hashim Amla, Alviro Petersen, Jean-Paul Duminy, AB de Villiers (Captain & wk), Faf du Plessis, David Miller, Robin Peterson, Ryan McLaren, Chris Morris, Morne Morkel, Aaron Phangiso

Brief scores
Sri Lanka 223 for 9 (Dilshan 43, Chandimal 43, Morkel 3-34)
South Africa 104 for 5 (Herath 2-16)
Result Sri Lanka won by 17 runs (D/L method)
MOM Dinesh Chandimal (Sri Lanka)

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Young Dinesh Chandimal will lead Sri Lanka in the first two of the five ODIs against visiting South Africa in an stop-gap arrangement in the absence of regular captain Angelo Mathews.
The 23-year-old Chandimal was named to captain the home side as Mathews is currently serving a two-match ban for slow over rates during the recent triangular series involving West Indies and India in the West Indies.
Left-handed middle order batsman Lahiru Thirimanna has been named the new vice-captain in the 15-member squad announced by Sri Lanka Cricket today.
Senior batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan, who missed the tri-series in the West Indies due to an injury, returns to the side and will partner Upul Tharanga for the opening wicket.
Thisara Perera also returns at the expense of the spinning all-rounder Jeewan Mendis. Also making a comeback after a long lay off is Jehan Mubarak.
There is no place for the young opening bat, left-hander Kusal Janith Perera. His run of poor form in the Champions Trophy in England has kept him out.
The first ODI will be played on July 20. 

Sri Lanka squad: Dinesh Chandimal (capt), Lahiru Thirimanne (vice capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Perera, Jehan Mubarak, Rangana Herath, Sachithra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Lasith Malinga, Shaminda Eranga, Thisara Perera, Suranga Lakmal

In Thisara Perera, Jehan Mubarak, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Angelo Perera

Out Kusal Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dilhara Lokuhettige, Jeevan Mendis

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Moin Khan Appointed Chief Selector

Pakistan's cricket bosses on Monday appointed former captain Moin Khan as chief selector, a post he said he took on as a challenge.
The 41-year-old takes over from Iqbal Qasim, who stepped aside earlier this month in a move seen as a reaction to the team's miserable performance in the Champions Trophy in England.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said Khan held discussion with interim chairman Najam Sethi and accepted the role.
"Former captain and wicket-keeper Khan will take over as chief selector while the rest of the members of the committee will remain the same," a PCB release said.
Former left-arm paceman Salim Jaffer, Test batsman Azhar Khan, Farrukh Zaman and Asif Baloch are the other selectors.
Moin Khan said he accepted the role as a challenge.
"It is an honour and a privilege to be offered the position of chairman of national selection committee -- a position held by many greats in the past and most recently by legendary spinner Qasim," he was quoted as saying in the release.
Khan played 69 Tests and 219 one-day internationals for Pakistan in 1990s and was also a member of World Cup winning team in 1992.
Last week the Islamabad high court ordered Sethi to hold elections for the PCB chairman within 90 days.

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