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Key events
The players are back on the field. Let’s play darts.
Mid-innings reading
It’ll be interesting to see how South Africa go about their runchase. Ordinarily you’d want to get it done inside 10 overs for net run-rate purposes but there’s an argument for playing more cautiously, especially as they will be batting on this pitch in future games.
Hard to know what to make of that. South Africa bowled with laser focus, helped by a relatively capricious pitch, and Sri Lanka struggled from the first ball. They hit only three fours and three sixes in the whole innings. None of them came off Anrich Nortje, who left a miserable IPL behind with a ferocious spell of 4 for 7.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 77 all out (Thushara run out 0)
Theekshana tries to keep the strike by turning for a very tight second, and the non-striker Thushara is well short when Nortje’s throw is collected by the bowler Jansen.
Brilliant stuff from South Africa, who have skittled Sri Lanka for their lowest T20 score.
19th over: Sri Lanka 76-9 (Theekshana 6, Thushara 0) Theekshana turns down a single off Baartman, a surprising decision that is justified when he slugs Baartman wide of mid-on for four. He takes a single off the last ball to keep the strike.
Baartman ends a fine World Cup with figures of 4-1-9-1. Before today, only three South Africa men had bowled their four overs for less than 10 runs in a T20 international, the last in 2013. Nortje and Baartman have joined the list.
18th over: Sri Lanka 71-9 (Theekshana 1, Thushara 0) I’d have to double check but I think Sri Lanka’s lowest T20 score is 82 against India at Vishakapatnam on 14 February 2016.
Rabada can’t take the last wicket but he does end with a wicket maiden and figures of 4-1-21-2.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 71-9 (Pathirana c Markram b Rabada 0)
It’s bad, you know. Pathirana chips a slower ball from Rabada straight to mid-on to leave Sri Lanka nine down and facing their lowest ever T20 total.
17th over: Sri Lanka 71-8 (Theekshana 1, Pathirana 0) Baartman is far too good for the No9 Theekshana, bowling a Test-match length and beating the edge two or three times. There’s only one loose ball, a leg-side wide.
“Am I the only person,” begins Richard McKeary, “with a certain early 1990s Simpsons-based earworm from following the OBO today?”
You’re not. In fact I was just marvelling at how good the top 10 was when that particular song was top of the hit parade. Look at it!
16th over: Sri Lanka 70-8 (Theekshana 1, Pathirana 0) The IPL 2024 is a thing of the past: Anrich Nortje has taken career-best figures of 4-0-7-4. Welcome back.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 70-8 (Mathews c Baartman b Nortje 16)
Four wickets for Anrich Nortje! A slower ball is followed by a sharp bouncer that Mathews top-edges straight to fine leg. That ends a useful knock of 16 from 16 balls, and the fact we’re describing it as ‘useful’ speaks volumes.
15th over: Sri Lanka 68-7 (Mathews 16, Theekshana 0) The commentator Russel Arnold makes the point that South Africa have three games in New York, so this both a statement of intent and a useful fact-finder. They’ve been very impressive, almost domineering.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 68-7 (Shanaka b Rabada 9)
Suddenly you’re seeing me just the way I am Sri Lanka are dealing in sixes. Mathews makes it three in as many overs by cuffing Rabada over midwicket.
Shanaka tries for another by making room to smear Rabada across the line. He misses, Rabada hits.
14th over: Sri Lanka 61-6 (Mathews 9, Shanaka 9) Shanaka top-edges a pull off the new bowler Jansen that goes all the way for six. Every little helps, but realistically Sri Lanka need ten an over from here to have any chance.
13th over: Sri Lanka 53-6 (Mathews 8, Shanaka 1) After taking a few balls to get his eye in, Mathews drives a classical straight six off Maharaj. Seven from the over, so Maharaj finishes with figures of 4-0-22-2.
“I couldn’t quite decide what I was watching a little earlier – was the Adelaide pitch two-paced; was the Sri Lankan batting awful; was the South African bowling exceptional,” says Brian Withington. “Imagine my delight in discovering that there was a Guardian OBO to shed light on proceedings. Scrolling back quickly I found my question about the pitch had been duly posed (over 6) … and ducked! What’s going on, Rob?”
I think the pitch has spooked Sri Lanka a bit, and that 140 would have been a really tricky target. South Africa have been intimidatingly good though.
12th over: Sri Lanka 46-6 (Mathews 2, Shanaka 1) In the recent IPL Nortje went at 13.36 runs per over and took seven wickets in six games. Today he has figures of 3-0-6-3.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 45-6 (Asalanka c Hendricks b Nortje 6)
Asalanka flicks Nortje straight to deep backward square, where Hendricks takes his second catch of the day to give Nortje his third wicket. Yikes.
11th over: Sri Lanka 44-5 (Asalanka 6, Mathews 1) Asalanka survives a run-out review after being sent back by Mathews – He’d have been gone with a direct hit – and then edges Maharaj just past slip. Sri Lanka will do well to reach three figures at this rate.
“It seems very hard to figure out what’s a good score on these pitches,” says Ramesh Natarajan. “Also, The Spin seems to be a perfect name for the Guardian WT20 2024 newsletter.”
It’s taken over 20 years but we got there in the end.
Drinks break
“Big ground, sandy outfield,” says Prashanth Sampath. “Fours won’t be easy to come by but got to plug the twos and threes.”
There will be some interesting games on this pitch; you can picture Virat Kohli scoring a load of twos. I wonder if Sri Lanka would bowl first if they had their time again.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 40-5 (Kusal c Stubbs b Nortje 19)
A mistimed pull from Kusal off Nortje lands safely. He’s barely midded a thing, but he’s still there and while that’s the case South Africa won’t feel totally comfortable in the box seat. At his best Kusal can take anyone to the cleaners – as South Africa know from his spectacular 42-ball 76 at the 50-over World Cup.
Today, alas, he’ll have to settle for a 30-ball 19. He hooks the last ball before the drinks break towards deep backward square, where Tristan Stubbs takes a really well-judged catch. South Africa are rampant!
9th over: Sri Lanka 36-4 (Kusal 16, Asalanka 3) Asalanka survives the hat-trick ball.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 32-4 (Sadeera b Maharaj 0)
Keshav Maharaj is on a hat-trick! Sadeera Samawickrama is bowled first ball, beaten on the inside by a lovely delivery that straightens to hit off stump. Sri Lanka are in a heap.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 32-3 (Hasaranga st de Kock b Maharaj 0)
This is turning into a rout. The captain Hasaranga tries to make something happen by charging Maharaj, but he slogs all round the ball and is stumped by de Kock.
8th over: Sri Lanka 31-2 (Kusal 14, Hasaranga 0) Nortje had a pretty miserable IPL, but there weren’t many pitches like this in India.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 31-2 (Kamindu c Hendricks b Nortje 11)
Anrich Nortje, the quickest of the South African bowlers, strikes in his first over. He had already beaten Kusal Mendis with three successive deliveries when a pick-up shot from Kamindu Mendis went straight to deep square. South Africa are bullying Sri Lanka, and it’s mightily impressive.
7th over: Sri Lanka 30-1 (Kusal 13, Kamindu 11) Time for left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj. Kamindu reverse sweeps confidently for two, but Kusal continues to struiggle with his timing. Six from the over: four singles and that two.
“I’m getting a feeling of deja vu,” says Vinod Ganesh. “Adelaide 2022, vs Netherlands. Similar pitch. Ned 150+. SA couldn’t chase it.”
6th over: Sri Lanka 24-1 (Kusal 11, Kamindu 7) Kamindu clunks a drive for a single off Baartman. That’s one of a number of mistimed strokes, so maybe the pitch is a bit two-paced. As if I’d know!
Kusal is beaten by successive leg-cutters from the impressive Baartman, then survives a big LBW appeal about pushing around a big off-cutter that would have bounced over the stumps. This feels like a Test match, not a T20. Kusal decides he has to do something and runs down the track to blast Baartman’s final ball over mid-off for a couple. He didn’t really time it, and the fielder was interested for a while, but he got enough on it.
22 print/web media members in the flashy new media center for the start of play between South Africa and Sri Lanka in Nassau County. They’ve even sent ABC 7 Eyewitness News out pic.twitter.com/KQm75CZbGJ
— Peter Della Penna (@PeterDellaPenna) June 3, 2024
5th over: Sri Lanka 21-1 (Kusal 9, Kamindu 6) The left-handed Kamindu is beaten by an outswinger from Rabada, who has changed ends to replace Jansen, but then he picks up handsomely over square leg for a one-bounce four. That would have been six on most grounds.
It’s important Sri Lanka hold their nerve and don’t push too hard for an unrealistic score. Even something like 130 could be competitive here; we don’t know what it will do for the spinners.
4th over: Sri Lanka 14-1 (Kusal 8, Kamindu 0) Apparently Baartman is the first South African to take a wicket with his first ball at a World Cup, though Allan Donald may beg to differ.
It’s a marvellous first over from Baartman, a wicket-maiden in fact. The only run was a leg-bye.
WICKET! Sri Lanka 13-1 (Nissanka c Klaasen b Baartman 3)
Ottneil Baartman strikes with his first ball at a World Cup! Nissanka slashed a length delivery all the way down to third man, where Heinrich Klaasen crouched to take a simple catch.
3rd over: Sri Lanka 13-0 (Nissanka 3, Kusal 8) Sri Lanka’s openers look slightly wary of the pitch, which is brand new by the way. Kusal fiddles at Jansen and is beaten, then squirts a cover drive for two. A big ground and a slowish outfield aren’t in the batters’ favour, so a par score might be lower than we think.
2nd over: Sri Lanka 9-0 (Nissanka 2, Kusal 6) Kusal Mendis uses the extra bounce to uppercut Rabada’s first ball for four. He’s beaten twice later in the over, one on each side of the bat. This is a strong start from South Africa.
1st over: Sri Lanka 2-0 (Nissanka 1, Kusal 1) The left-armer Marco Jansen makes a really good start, conceding only two runs and beating Nissanka with successive deliveries. The second was a jaffa that burst from a length, and the early signs are that the pitch has plenty for the quick bowlers.
Outside the stadium in Nassau County, they’ve turned the entrances into a militarized zone. Never seen so much security and police for any sporting event in New York metro area. Get here 2 or 3 hours early if you’re a fan or media.
— Peter Della Penna (@PeterDellaPenna) June 3, 2024
South Africa’s fast-bowling depth is such that Lungi Ngidi didn’t make the squad. They have four quicks today, including 31-year-old Ottneil Baartman, who was called up after a superb SA20. This is only his second game for South Africa.
The teams
Sri Lanka Nissanka, Kusal (wk), Kamindu, Sadeera, Asalanka, Mathews, Shanaka, Hasaranga (c), Theekshana, Pathirana, Thushara.
South Africa de Kock (wk), Hendricks, Markram (c), Klaasen, Miller, Stubbs, Jansen , Maharaj, Rabada, Nortje, Baartman.
Sri Lanka win the toss and bat
Ravi Shastri is conducting the toss in New York, which might just be the peak of human existence. South Africa’s captain Aiden Markram calls incorrectly, so Sri Lanka have won the toss. Wanindu Hasaranga says they will bat first; no surprise given he is one of four spinners, full- and part-time, in their XI.
Markram says South Africa would have bowled, so everyone’s happy.
Today’s game will be played on a drop-in pitch that began life in Adelaide. Simon Burnton has more.
Preamble
Start spreadin’ the news, there’s cricket today. The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Long Island is the venue for Sri Lanka v South Africa, an intriguing game in an open group that also includes Bangaldesh, Nepal – and the Netherlands, who have beaten South Africa at the last two white-ball World Cups.
South Africa are potential winners, with a punishing middle-order to hide from never mind die for, but the past ain’t through with them. Nor will it be until they finally win a World Cup.
Sri Lanka have the talent, personality and variety, particularly in their bowling, to cause the bigger teams problems, whether in the group stage or during the Super Eights. It should be a cracking match. And even if it’s not, it’s in New York, which is a story in itself.
The match starts at 3.30pm BST, 10.30am in New York.
It’s really amazing how this beautiful stadium in Eisenhower Park, New York was built in a little over 3 months! The site work commenced in January and the construction work started in mid-February only.
The stadium is made mostly of steel and aluminium. The drop-in pitches have… pic.twitter.com/HCYLshchCL
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) June 3, 2024
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