Cape Town - After a disastrous Test series against the hosts, the Proteas were desperate to turn their fortunes around in Sri Lanka, starting with their warm-up match against a Sri Lanka Board XI. 

And they did just that, winning the match by 63 runs with young all-rounder, Wiaan Mulder, starring. 

Mulder scored a half-century and then took three for 12 with the ball.

Although it was only a win in a warm-up fixture, Mulder felt that South Africa would see similar wickets throughout the limited overs series which starts in Dambulla on Sunday and that the match provided perfect preparation for what no doubt will be a tough assignment in the coming weeks. 

“I think the wicket was a fair indication of what the wickets are going to play like, especially with them playing some of their players who will be playing in the series,” he said.

Mulder, who took just 57 balls to score 56, thought the wicket was fair, both decent to bat on and offering something for the bowlers. 

“For me it was a fair wicket, it was decent to bat and to bowl on. It is something we can take into the series, it was great preparation. There are a lot of us who will take a few things into the ODI series from this match, it can only benefit us as a team.” 

The first ODI gets underway on Sunday at 06:15 (SA time).