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De Kock, De Villiers lift South Africa to 339-5

Left-hander De Kock smashed a 127-ball 128 while skipper De Villiers hit a fiery 71-ball 108, making a century off just 66 balls

SOORIYAWEWA: South African batsman AB de Villiers, left, celebrates scoring a century as non striker Jean-Paul Duminiy watches during the third one-day international cricket match between Sri Lanka and South Africa in Sooriyawewa, Sri Lanka

AFPPTI Hambantota, Sri Lanka
Quinton de Kock and AB de Villiers smashed aggressive centuries to propel South Africa to an imposing 339 for five in the third and final one-day international against Sri Lanka here today.

Left-hander De Kock smashed a 127-ball 128 while skipper De Villiers hit a fiery 71-ball 108, making a century off just 66 balls, as South Africa posted their highest total against Sri Lanka in windy conditions at Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium.

South Africa's previous highest one-day total against Sri Lanka was 317-6 at Centurion in 2002.

De Kock gave South Africa, who won the toss and batted, an ideal start with a solid 118-run opening stand with Hashim Amla (48) and another 116 with his skipper for the third wicket to give South Africa an ideal chance to win the series tied at 1-1.
 
South Africa won the first one-day in Colombo by 75 runs while Sri Lanka restored parity with an 87-run victory in the second at Pallekele.

De Kock, dropped at 38 off Sachithra Senanayake, reached his fifth one-day hundred with a sharp single off 108 balls.

The talented left-hander holed out at mid-off in the 41st over but not before bettering South Africa's highest individual one-day score against Sri Lanka made by Boeta Dippenaar (125 not out) at Adelaide in 2006.

In all De Kock hit 12 fours and three sixes but was overshadowed by his skipper who smashed 11 boundaries and four sixes.

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First Published: Jul 12 2014 | 3:34 PM IST

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