Sri Lanka 9-223 (Dinesh Chandimal 43, Tillakaratne Dilshan 43, Kumar Sangakkara 37, Morne Morkel 3-34) beat South Africa 5-104 (Alviro Petersen 24, David Miller 22*, Rangana Herath 2-16) by 17 runs (Duckworth/Lewis method)

Another dismal performance by the South African batsmen let them down in the consecutive ODI against the hosts Sri Lanka who won the rain interrupted game.

The Lankan Lions scored 223 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 49.2 overs when the innings was called off due to rain. The Proteas managed 104 runs in 21 overs with half of their side back in the pavilion and lost the match, (D/L) method.

Dinesh Chandimal (Sri Lanka) was declared ‘Player of the match’ for his fighting knock of 43 runs and vital captaincy.

The 2^nd One Day International of the five match series was played on Tuesday, July 23, 2013, at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.

Earlier, Dinesh Chandimal won the toss for the home side and opted to bat first. Upul Tharanga was gone for just three runs as Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara tried to consolidate the innings. The latter was the most aggressive of the two and hit 4 fours until the end of the 10^th over and Dilshan got his first boundary in the 13^th one. They took the score to 66 when Sangakkara lost his wicket for 37 and was replaced by Mahela Jayawardene. The batsmen found it hard to score the boundaries and they crept to 106 in 26.3 overs as Jayawardene was clean bowled by Robin Peterson for 17 runs.

Tillakaratne Dilshan followed him 14 runs later for 43 off 64 balls with just one four. Dinesh Chandimal was the only other batsman who gave some resistance at the crease whereas the wickets kept on sliding at the other end. He was the 8^th batsman who was dismissed for 43 off 51 with 4 fours as the Islanders reached 223 with one wicket remaining after 49.2 overs when their innings was called off because of rain.

Morne Morkel was the star performer with three wickets whereas Robin Peterson, Chris Morris, Ryan McLaren, Aaron Phangiso and Jean-Paul Duminy shared one wicket each.

The Proteas had a bad start as well since the stumps of Robin Peterson were flown away by Lasith Malinga for just three runs in the very first over. Jean-Paul Duminy joined in next with Alviro Petersen and they hit 5 fours in the next five overs. The first was caught behind by Kumar Sangakkara off Thisara Perera for 15 as the total touched 39. The skipper of South Africa, AB de Villiers, walked in next and opened his account with a four while Alviro Petersen was declared leg before wicket off Rangana Herath for 24 off 28 deliveries with 4 fours.

The Sri Lankan bowlers ripped through the middle order batting of the tourists and they were struggling at 5-69 in 13.4 overs. David Miller and Ryan McLaren associated in the center but found it hard to click the score board. Rain started pouring in again after the end of the 19^th over as the hundred of the innings appeared on the screen two overs later. The Proteas scored 104 runs in 21 overs after losing five wickets when the play was called off. David Miller was unbeaten for 22 off 34 with 1 four and Ryan McLaren was at the other end at 14.

Rangana Herath was the top wicket taker with two whereas Lasith Malinga, Thisara Perera and Tillakaratne Dilshan held one wicket each.

Sri Lanka won the consistent game as per D/L method with a nominal margin of 17 runs and leads the five match series 2-0. The third One Day International will be played on July 26, 2013, at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.