SA V SL: Bees and bowlers upset Sri Lanka as South Africa win series

Photo: AP

Johannesburg: Allrounder Dwaine Pretorius claimed career-best figures as South Africa beat Sri Lanka and a swarm of bees in the third one-day international at the Wanderers on Saturday, thereby taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

Pretorius came into the South African team in place of Wayne Parnell and recorded figures of 3-19 from seven overs as Sri Lanka was bowled out for just 163 in 39.2 overs.

South Africa had no trouble chasing the small target, with AB de Villiers top-scoring with 60 not out to give the hosts a seven wicket victory. South Africa scored 164-3 in only 32 overs.

With Sri Lanka once again failing to produce a significant score, the drama came from another source as a swarm of bees held up play for more than an hour.

Sri Lanka made a promising start, with openers Niroshan Dickwella and Upul Tharanga putting on 60 for the first wicket as South Africa had a rare bad spell in the field, dropping two catches.

But Kagiso Rabada made the breakthrough when he had Tharanga (31) caught at fine leg, and wickets fell regularly after that.

The bees arrived in the 25th over after Sri Lanka had sunk to 115-4 and soon forced the players out of the field.

Ground staff attempted to remove the swarm using a fire extinguisher before a beekeeper was called in to do a more effective job.

South Africa vs Sri Lanka - 3rd ODI - #Bees #3rdODI #beesstoppedplay #cricket https://t.co/Mlo1tJ0igy

— midhal (@midhal) February 5, 2017

When play resumed after an hour, it did not take long for Rabada to grab a second wicket, before Pretorius claimed two wickets in two overs as Sri Lanka collapsed once more.

Legspinner Imran Tahir picked up the final dismissal to finish with 2-21 as Sri Lanka was bowled out inside 40 overs.

Although Quinton de Kock played on during a feisty opening spell from teenage fast bowler Lahiru Kumara on his ODI debut, South Africa controlled the remainder of its chase with ease.

Hashim Amla scored 34 and Faf du Plessis contributed 24, before De Villiers and JP Duminy (28 not out) saw South Africa to victory with 18 overs to spare, giving it a record 12th straight win on home soil.

The fourth ODI takes place at Newlands on Tuesday, before the series finishes at Centurion on Friday.