(Repeating yesterday's SPD 67)

Georgetown, Guyana, Mar 28 (UNI) Lasith Malinga picked up four wickets in four balls but found himself in the losing side as South Africa scrapped past Sri Lanka by one wicket with 1.4 overs to spare in a Super League match at Providence Statium here today.

After being outplayed for most part of the day, the Lankans turned the match to its head in the last five overs with Malinga recording second hat-trick in the history of World Cup. But, the last South African pair survived two hostile overs and found the winning runs from the blade of Robin Paterson.

The match, however, would be remembered for Malinga's destructive two overs which almost single-handedly destroyed the South Africans.

It was a win South Africa would not like to remember as they were given some nerve wrecking time by the Lankan bowlers towards the final overs while defending a very modest total of 209 runs.

In fact, had the two catches offered by Jacques Kallis not been spurned, South Africa would have been neck deep in trouble.

The Proteas were cruising along till the 32nd over with the scoreboard reading 160 for two and needing just 50 more runs when Muttiah Muralidharan turned the match in just two balls.

Eventually, South Africa lost five more wickets to score the remaining 50 runs.

Murali, the new Wisden leading cricketer of the year, did celebrate the news in style picking up two back to back wickets.

He first superbly caught a low return catch diving forward to send back dangerman Herschelle Gibbs (31) and in the very next ball found Mark Boucher plumb in front of the wicket.

Justin Kemp survived a strong appeal of close catch denying Murali the second hat-trick of the match but he did infuse some blood into the match towards the end which otherwise became too predictable.

He ended with three for 34 pushing his overall wicket haul to 441, the highest so far in the one-day internationals.

Kemp did last some tense overs and he was finally removed when Kumar Sangakkra had him as second stumping victim off Sanath Jayasuriya.

But, the exit of the spinners saw the match tilting towrads the Proteas till Malinga heroics. The Lankans, however, failed to remove the last pair despite efforts from Vaas and Malinga and Peterson smashed the third delivery of the 48th over to the fence to the celebration of the South Africans.

After losing the last match's hero de Villers to a superb Chaminda Vaas delivery in the very first over, South Africa blazed away with skipper Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis dominating proceeding, giving little room to Lanka bowlers.

The duo put up a 94-run partnership to lay a solid foundation for South Africa.

Kallis did give a chance early in his innings when the thick edge did not stick to a flying Mahela Jawayardhne's fully-stretched right hand at the third slip and that was enough for Kallis to go all out.

Both he and Smith were particularly severe on Malinga and Farveez Mharoof after veteran Vaas sent down seven measly overs picking up one wicket and giving away just 26 runs.

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