Quinton de Kock hits ton as South Africa win ODI series against Sri Lanka

After being put into bat, De Kock smashed 121 off 108 balls – his 14th ODI hundred – as South Africa went on to make 331-5 off their 50 overs.

Sri Lanka were struggling at 75-2 after 16 overs of their reply when a rainstorm took the players off for a two-hour break, after which the visitors were set a Herculean target of 193 in 24 overs, therefore needing 118 runs from the final eight.

Sri Lanka fell a long way short, managing just 121-5, with legspinner Imran Tahir (2-19) taking a couple of wickets after the restart, including Kusal Mendis who was caught and bowled by Tahir after top-scoring with 41 for the tourists.

Earlier, De Kock, who came into this game in the midst of a run of four straight fifties in ODI cricket, converted this one to a ton – days after falling just short on 94 in Wednesday’s second ODI.

Rassie van der Dussen (50) added a fifty and a cameo from Andile Phehlukwayo, who hit 38 off 15 at the end of the innings, saw the Proteas up past 300.

In other news, Sri Lanka lost key batsman Kusal Perera early on in the game when he looked to have hurt his hamstring in the field and was taken to hospital for scans. Officials said he would not have been able to bat had he been needed but it is unsure how serious the injury is.