On a day where just 20.4 overs were bowled, the Sri Lankan pacers made merry in helpful conditions. South Africa struggled with the bat as their top order crumbled.
Barring Temba Bavuma who is returning from injury, none of the other batters in the top five got going. Under overcast conditions and on a greenish track, Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first.
Aiden Markram struck a couple of fluent boundaries in the first over and both of them came off the back foot. Asitha Fernando bounced back strongly with the wicket of Markram in the following over. Fernando got the 30-year-old opener to edge to first slip.
Vishwa Fernando removed the other opener Tony de Zorzi a couple of balls later. The left-arm seamer forced an edge off de Zorzi to second slip. Temba Bavuma was then dropped when he was on 1 in the 8th over. Vishwa Fernando was the unlucky bowler.
The South Africa skipper then struck a couple of boundaries to get going. Tristan Stubbs hit Lahiru Kumara for three successive boundaries in the 14th over. Just when a partnership was forming, Kumara struck in his second over. Stubbs nicked one to third slip before David Bedingham was knocked over.
South Africa were reeling at 54/4 at that stage. It could’ve well been five down if Kumara hadn’t overstepped. Bavuma tickled one down leg-side but Kumara bowled his third no-ball which resulted in a wicket.
The South Africa captain continued to score runs while Kyle Verreynne got a couple of boundaries. With lunch around the corner, the rain came down and forced the players to go off early.
Rain washes out two sessions
Play did not resume as the rain got heavier as the day progressed. The umpires abandoned play for the rest of the day and called stumps. Two sessions were washed out due to rain.
Conditions will remain tricky for batting with moisture on a greenish pitch. The Sri Lankan bowlers were inconsistent but every time they bowled in the right areas, they troubled the South African batters.
Bavuma got a couple of reprieves but he has moved to 28 with five fours. Verreynne has also struck a couple of boundaries and South Africa will be hoping they can form a solid partnership. Sri Lanka will want to continue the good work and run through the remainder of the Proteas batting order.
BRIEF SCORES: South Africa 80/4 (Temba Bvuma 28*, Tristan Stubbs 16, Lahiru Kumara 2/35, Vishwa Fernando 1/17) vs Sri Lanka.
