Sri Lankan ace makes history
Sri Lanka Cricket
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Editor /
29 March 2007 /
Lasith Malinga became the first player in one-day history to take four wickets in four balls, but Sri Lanka fell to a one-wicket defeat to South Africa in Guyana.
Chasing 210 to win, the Proteas looked to be cruising to victory when reaching 206-5 before Malinga struck.
The Sri Lankan seamer had the Proteas in trouble, claiming the scalps of Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis and Makhaya Ntini in four consecutive balls.
Robin Peterson though managed to edge a four to claim victory and leave Malinga insisting that the record counted for little.
The 23-year-old said: "I am happy to take those wickets but we have lost.
"I felt good, mixed my deliveries up well, and I thought we might pinch it. But 209 was not enough to defend."
Malinga is now the 5.8 favourite to finish the World Cup as the top wicket taker, with his fellow Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan and Australia's Brad Hogg both available at 6.