Proteas Women fall to second consecutive defeat in ODI tri-series in Colombo

Annerie Dercksen top-scored for the visitors with an unbeaten 61 from 60 balls as the Proteas posted a total of 235-9 in their 50 overs before Sri Lanka knocked the target off in the 47th over.

The tourists did not get off to the best of starts after the home captain Chamari Athapaththu had won the toss and elected to field first.

Proteas opening pair Laura Wolvaardt (10) and Tazmin Brits (14) were both back in the dressing room with only 27 runs on the scoreboard.

Karabo Meso also did not last long in the middle and fell for 9 but number three Lara Goodall struck five fours to compile 46 from 63 deliveries.

The Proteas were in serious trouble at 120-5 but Dercksen, together with Sune Luus (31), Chloe Tryon (35) and Nadine de Klerk (17), lifted them over the 230 mark.

The visitors made a good start with the ball when seamer Masabata Klaas dismissed Sri Lanka's kingpin batter Athapaththu (9) in the third over.

Hasini Perera (42) and Vishmi Gunaratne (27) added 69 for the second wicket but the Proteas dismissed both batters within the space of three overs to leave the home side on 90-3 in the 18th over.

That was as good as it got for the Proteas though as Harshitha Samarawickrama (77) and Kavisha Dilhari (61) put on a match-winning partnership of 128 to kill off the contest.

The Proteas must now win their next two matches, against India and Sri Lanka, if they have any hope of reaching the final of the tri-series.

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