South Africa beat Sri Lanka despite Malinga magic

Georgetown, (Guyana), March 29
South Africa eked to a one-wicket win over Sri Lanka despite Lasith Malinga's unprecedented four wickets in four balls late in Wednesday's World Cup Super 8 match.
The South Africans had Jacques Kallis at the crease and were one stroke from victory at 206 for five, chasing Sri Lanka's modest 209, before Malinga struck.
He became the first bowler to take wickets with four consecutive balls in an international match.
``That was a pretty stressful last five overs, geez!'' South Africa captain Graeme Smith said. ``We knew it was going to be a difficult chase _ we were dominant for 95 overs ... at the end, we're happy to get away with that.''
Malinga removed Shaun Pollock (13) and Andrew Hall (0) on the last two balls of his eighth over _ the 45th _ and Jacques Kallis (86) caught behind and Makhaya Ntini bowled on the first two balls of his ninth.
That left South Africa needing three runs from 21 balls.
Robin Peterson edged Malinga for four down to third man to take South Africa to 212-9 with 10 balls to spare. Peterson jumped jubilantly as he ran down the pitch in celebration and then smashed the stumps at the non-striker's end with his bat.
``It was a good opportunity to win the game _ we needed only one more wicket. I bowled the next ball to take a wicket _ it missed,'' Malinga said. ``I'm just happy to take my first international hat-trick.''
Malinga returned 4-54 from 9.2 overs and Muttiah Muralitharan, who had a loud shout for a hat-trick turned down earlier in the innings, finished with 3-34.
``It's nice to get through with two points. Sri Lanka is going to be a tough one to beat in this tournament,'' Smith said.
It was a tie against Sri Lanka in the match of the group stage of the last World Cup that cost South Africa a place in the second round.
Another tie against Australia in the 1999 semifinal cost the South Africans a place in the final.
``In World Cups gone by, we've probably lost those close games,'' Smith said. ``This is probably the turn around we need.''
The win ensured South Africa of top spot in the season-ending international limited-overs rankings come April 1, regardless of whatever else happens in the World Cup.
A loss could have cost South Africa the top ranking, a week after losing to defending World Cup champion Australia in a pivotal Group A match.
After three big wins in the group stage, Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said his lineup played well below par against South Africa.
``This was definitely a game for us to win, but the way we played we never had a chance of winning except for that last burst from Malinga,'' Jayawardene said. ``The good thing is, we know exactly where we have to improve for next time.''
Charl Langeveldt did the early damage for South Africa with a career-best 5-39 to restrict the Sri Lankans to their lowest total of the Cup.
Langeveldt took three wickets in his last over as Sri Lanka lost its last four wickets for one run in seven balls.
Coming in when AB de Villiers was bowled by Chaminda Vaas in the first over, Kallis scored 86 from 110 balls and shared a 94-run stand with Smith (59) that set up South Africa's chase.
Muralitharan caused a wobble in the middle when he dismissed Herschelle Gibbs (31) and Mark Boucher on consecutive balls to make it 160-4.
The Sri Lankan spinner missed a hat-trick when his next ball just missed the edge and bounced off Justin Kemp's pad into the hands of a close-in fielder.
Tillekaratne Dilshan (58) and Russel Arnold (50) shared a 97-run sixth-wicket to bolster the Sri Lanka innings after Ntini and Langeveldt had them struggling at 98-5.
Ntini had Upul Tharanga (12) caught at slip with the total at 13.
Sanath Jayasuriya took a liking to Pollock's bowling, however, hitting 26 from 27 balls before he was undone by a change in the attack.
Langeveldt replaced Pollock and removed Jayasuriya and Jayawardene (12), both misjudging the pace as Sri Lanka slumped to 65-3.
Sangakkara (28) gloved a legside catch off Hall to Boucher before the Sri Lankans lost their fifth wicket when Gibbs ran out Chamara Silva for nine. Fielding the ball right-handed in close, he raced a few paces and then lunged to knock down two stumps in a scene reminiscent of Jonty Rhodes' famous effort against Pakistan in the 1992 World Cup.
South Africa's plays Ireland next Tuesday, two days after Sri Lanka takes on the host West Indies in Guyana.