CT SA V SL Full Time: Hosts Suffer Shock Defeat

Sri Lanka not only changed their personal history in South Africa but also showed that South Africa was struggling to shake theirs as hosts.
The ICC Champions Trophy Group B opening match threw up the first shock defeat with South Africa suffering a defeat that left them feeling very hollow. Their bowling did not quite get to the desired results and the blame would squarely fall on the bowlers. Their fielding too surprisingly left something to be desired.
But South Africa appeared to be in the chase while South African captain, Graeme Smith, was at the crease and while Ajantha Mendis had yet to come onto bowl.
South Africa lost Hashim Amla early but Smith and Jacques Kallis not only steadied South Africa but also, their eighty-one run partnership for the second wicket propped South Africa for the chase ahead, not small feat with 320 to be made.
However, once Smith departed for fifty-eight runs from forty-four balls, Ajantha Mendis beginning his web, it was downhill for South Africa.
Kallis, forty-one runs, and JP Duminy, on duck, became immediate victims for Mendis off successive balls, and South Africa were not enjoying the run chase anymore at four down for 113 in the twenty-first over.
Thereafter, feeble partnerships tried to keep South Africa in the hunt but by then, the task had become enormous. AB de Villiers, Johan Botha, Mark Boucher were all getting starts but much more would have been required after the skipper won the toss and elected to field, perhaps a decision he would rethink in hindsight. With Angelo Matthews and Lasith Malinga also chipping in with two wickets apiece, the South Africans were once again feeling the jinx on playing on home turf while hosting a major ICC tournament.
It was rather a sorry plight as Albie Morkel was left batting a lonely battle on twenty-six not out when perhaps the rain Gods could not take the gloom anymore and opened up the skies. South Africa ended up on 206 for7 in thirty-eight overs, leaving them in deficit of 55 runs as per Duckworth-Lewis.
Game one to Sri Lanka.

CT SA v SL Half Time: Hosts Face Stiff Target

CT SA v SL Preview: SA Want Good Start, Despite Losing Gibbs

Rahul Slams Preparations, Defies Fears After Loss

CT Teams Group B-South Africa Want it More Than Any One Else

CT Teams Group B - England: Will Out Beat West Indies

CT Teams Group B- New Zealand: Hope to Defy Hopes

CT Teams Group B-Sri Lanka: Need to Reestablish Ascendancy

CT Teams Group A- West Indies: Less Said the Better

CT Teams Group A -India: A Trophy Would Be Nice

CT Teams Group A-Pakistan: Need the Trophy to Get the Stamp of Approval

CT Teams Group A - Australia: Can They Go On from Here?

Warm Up See Injuries to Gibbs, Younis, NZ, SL, WI Struggle