Tsotsobe will have the first crack with the new ball. Perera smashes through the line and clears mid-off to get himself off the mark. The bowler pulls his length back and is pulled for another two runs.
South Africa limped to 115/6 off their 20 overs. It is the lowest ever T20 score by a South African team when they have batted the full 20 overs. Duminy, the top scorer, has admitted that it probably won't be enough. It is a very good pitch and I feel that South Africa needed about 160 in order to be competitive. The Sri Lankans bowled well, but were aided by the lack of urgency shown by the Proteas. The hosts should knock off the required runs easily when they come out to bat.
Mendis starts the last over with a full-toss. Dunimy hoiks it through mid-wicket for a boundary and brings up his 50. Wiese is off the mark first ball in international cricket. WICKET. Dunimy doesn't hit the full-toss far enough and is caught on the mid-wicket boundary. Wiese skies the last ball which is dropped by the bowler and the batsmen scamper through for two runs to end the innings.
Malinga starts his final over. He has earned a reputation for bowling yorkers at the death of an innings, so the South African batsmen will have their work cut out. The bowler misses his length and Miller cracks it to long off. The fielder catches the ball but loses balance and throws it back into the field of play. No wicket, but five runs are saved. WICKET. Miller slices the ball into the off-side and is caught on the cover boundary. Wiese makes his way to the crease on debut.
Mendis should complete his ration of overs from this end. Miller finds the middle of the bat and his first boundary is a six straight down the ground. The 100 comes up at the same time as the 50 partnership.
Malinga is back and should bowl two out of the final four overs. The batsmen look disinterested in attacking and giving their bowlers a sporting chance. Dunimy picks the slower-ball and slaps it through the leg-side for a much needed boundary.
Senanayake is back, he has been the chief destroyer today. An outside edge brings Miller a welcome two runs, he is yet to strike a boundary. It is time for the batsmen to go big, as they will not post a competitive total at this rate.
Mendis is back and almost spins one through Miller's gate as the batsman tries to drive against the turn. Singles are being knocked around, but it has reached the stage where big hits are required. Duminy agree's and sweeps the first six of the innings.
Dilshan is given another over. Miller shows the first signs of aggression by advancing down the wicket. He doesn't get to the pitch though and a single is the result.
It may be hard to believe, but the pitch is actually good for batting. There is no seem movement and only a touch of spin. The batsmen can't blame the conditions for the situation in which they find themselves. Another tame over is defended as Mathews finishes with 1/13 off his four overs.
Dilshan is back into the attack. Its a smart move as the fifth bowler can get another over out the way while the new batsman gets used to the conditions. Five singles come from a bowler that South Africa really should be targeting.
Mathews is back and de Villiers slapps the first ball straight to mid-wicket, a tough chance is dropped. WICKET. The second delivery is sliced into the outfield and the catch is completed this time. de Villiers is gone and South Africa are crumbling. A single prevents the wicket maiden, but the pressure is building rapidly.
Mendis is introduced, this will be the spell that defines the Proteas innings. Mendis is the only bowler to have taken 6 wickets twice in T20 international cricket. Four leg-byes rescues the over for South Africa, but it still yields only 6 runs.
Malinga is back to break the partnership after South Africa's first good over of the innings. He almost does the trick straight away as de Villiers top edges a short delivery which narrowly lands before fine-leg. The batsmen are dealing with the pace reasonably comfortably, but spin will prove the real challenge.
Perera is welcomed to the bowling crease by a picture perfect cover drive, resulting in a boundary to de Villiers. Much more urgency is shown by the batsmen as they recognise what is being delivered. A short ball is pulled easily for four by de Villiers.
The power play is behind us and South Africa are in deep trouble, especially since the two gun bowlers in the form of Malinga and Mendis still have 7 overs between them. Dilshan is brought into the attack.
Senanayake is struck for four straight down the ground by du Plessis. The South African skipper spoke during the week about the need to put pressure on the Sri Lankan spinners. WICKET. It has not worked. Faf moved around the crease once too aften and the furniture is disturbed.
Mathews continues as the batsmen look to stop the carnage. Duminy plays a lovely stroke through the covers and picks up his first boundary. A couple is nudged past mid-on as the scoreboard finally starts to tick over.
Faf moves around the crease causing the off-spinner to bowl a wide. The pressure is showing as du Plessis takes a single that was not there, Davids is lucky to escape being run out. WICKET. Davids is struck on the pad, trying to sweep a half-volley, and is given out lbw. He never looked comfortable and a very shaky innings has come to an end.
The fall of an early wicket has resulted in Malinga being whipped out of the attack and saved for the death. The accurate Mathews replaces him. A steady start for the bowler means that South Africa are half-way through the power play and have scored just 10 runs.
Senanayake shares the new ball. WICKET. The off-spinner slides on with the arm and traps de Kock plum in front. Immediately, South Africa struggle with the spin. Sri Lanka have started well.
Malinga is given the first over and will look to set the tone for the hosts. The first ball is a yorker but slides slightly down the leg-side, giving South Africa a leg-bye to get off the mark. The ball is changed after just three deliveries because the seam has split. The first three balls swung for Malinga, so this could be good news for the batsmen. The new balls swings down the leg-side and is glanced for the first boundary.
The pitch is dry and will be similar to the ODI track. It will be dry and a bit slow but runs will be on offer if the batsmen apply themselves. Sri Lanka have picked plenty of spin options which suggests that the deck will turn.
Dilshan, K Perera, Sangakkara, Chandimal,Thirimanne, Mathews, J Mendis, T Perera, Senanayake, Malinga, A Mendis.
de Kock, Davids, du Plessis, de Villiers, Duminy, Miller, Wiese, Parnell, Morkel, tahir, Tsotsobe.
South Africa win the toss and decide to bat first on a dry Colombo surface.
Hello and welcome to our over-by-over of the first Twenty20 International - in the three-match series - between Sri Lanka and South Africa at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.