Cape Town: South Africa have won the first home series since 2008 after beating Sri Lanka by ten wickets to clinch the series 2-1 on the fourth day of the third and final Test at Newlands on Friday.
Sri Lanka were bowled out on 342 with a fighting century by Thilan Samaraweera who made 115 not out and some bold hitting by the tailenders enabled Sri Lanka to avoid an innings defeat.
South Africa chased a target of only two runs to win the match and the series.
The first delivery of the final innings was a no-ball by Dhammika Prasad which Alviro Petersen pushed past the bowler for the winning run.
Samaraweera and vice-captain Angelo Mathews put on 142 for the fifth wicket and prevented South Africa from taking a wicket before lunch.
But the introduction of the second new ball, which was taken one over before lunch, brought a breakthrough when Vernon Philander trapped Mathews leg before wicket for 63 in the fourth over after the interval with a ball which kept low.
It was South Africa’s first series win at home since they beat Bangladesh in 2008/09. Since they had lost and drawn series against Australia and shared series with England and India.
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