SA V SL: Du Plessis destroys Sri Lanka with sparkling century

Photo: Twitter @OfficialCSA

Cape Town: A career-best innings of 185 from Faf du Plessis led South Africa to the highest one-day international total at Newlands as Sri Lanka's bowlers were made to suffer on Tuesday.

Although Du Plessis fell three runs short of Gary Kirsten's record for the highest score by a South African batsman in ODI cricket, he broke a different one as he helped the host post 367-5 after it won the toss and elected to bat first.

Du Plessis' score was the highest by any batsman on South African soil, surpassing Quinton de Kock's 178 against Australia at Centurion last September.

After losing Hashim Amla in the second over, South Africa went about continuing its dominance over a hapless Sri Lanka that already trails 3-0 in the five-match ODI series, with Du Plessis adding a century stand for the second wicket with De Kock at better than a run a ball.

After De Kock (55) was well caught at slip off the bowling of Sachith Pathirana, Du Plessis put on 137 for the third wicket with AB de Villiers in the space of just 20 overs.

De Villiers' ploy of sweeping the spinners judiciously eventually caught up with him when he was bowled around his legs by Pathirana to depart for 64, but Du Plessis ramped up the onslaught in the final 10 overs, when South Africa added 106.

Du Plessis was eventually out in the final over when he was caught on the boundary, attempting a six that would have taken him past Kirsten's record.

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