(SKYSPORTS) South Africa went top of the ODI world rankings after their 88-run win over Sri Lanka in the fifth one-day international in Centurion, securing a 5-0 series whitewash.Hashim Amla hit a superb 154, sharing in a 187-run record opening partnership with Quinton de Kock (109) – who also smacked a century – as South Africa amassed 384-6 batting first.
Sri Lanka never came close in reply, especially after being reduced to 82-5 inside the opening 14 overs.
And despite an enterprising unbeaten 114 by Asela Gunaratne lower down the order, the visitors fell well short, finishing on 296-8, though they did bat out their full 50 overs for the first time in the series.
Sri Lanka elected to field first after winning the toss, but swiftly regretted that decision as South Africa’s openers put on 187 together in 26.3 overs, de Kock racing through to an 80-ball ton.
Amla was slightly more circumspect in reaching three figures, bringing up his hundred – off 112 balls – in the 40th over, but swiftly added a further 50 to his score in the closing overs.
Suranga Lakmal (3-71) and Lahiru Madushanka (2-70) had halted the hosts’ run-scoring somewhat with regular wickets before Amla and Farhaam Behardien (32 off 20 balls) took apart the Sri Lankan attack late on.
Sri Lanka suffered an early blow in their run-chase as Upul Tharanga – who scored a century in the fourth ODI defeat – fell to Chris Morris (4-31) for seven.
Morris soon had a second when Kusal Mendis (1) offered up some catching practice to AB de Villiers at mid-off.
Niroshan Dickwella (39 off 19), who again provided a spark at the top of the order, was next to go, as Sri Lanka’s top order fell apart.
Some respectability was added to their score thanks to a 93-run stand for the sixth wicket between Gunaratne and Sachith Pathirana (56), but the pair failed to score at such a rate to keep Sri Lanka in with a chance of victory.
Despite some big-hitting late on by Gunaratne – including four consecutive boundaries off one Behardien over – to take him through to a maiden ODI hundred, Sri Lanka slipped to another heavy defeat on their tour, while South Africa claimed to the top spot in the world.