83 balls, yes you read that right – that was all Sri Lanka could last in their first innings. South Africa skittled Sri Lanka out for a mere 42. Marco Jansen was on a rampage as he returned with figures of 7/13 in just 6.5 overs to blow away Sri Lanka. As many as 19 wickets fell in the day as the first Test moved at a rapid pace.
The day started with the Sri Lankan pacers continuing the good work from the first day. Lahiru Kumara struck early as he got Kyle Verreynne plumb LBW. Wiaan Mulder was struck on his glove and he couldn’t sustain the pain which forced him to retire hurt.
Like he did on the first day. Temba Bavuma pounced on anything loose and struck a few boundaries. Marco Jansen also hit a couple of boundaries before Prabath Jayasuriya pinned him LBW in his second over. The Sri Lankan left-arm spinner dismissed Gerald Coetzee to get his second wicket of the innings.
At 117/7 with Mulder out injured, South Africa were in danger of being bowled out for under 150. Bavuma was still batting and could’ve been stranded. However, the South Africa skipper got some company in the form of Keshav Maharaj. The South Africa left-arm spinner tonked three fours and a six. His 24 gave South Africa some momentum. At the other end, Bavuma got to fifty before Maharaj holed out to mid-off.
Bavuma then opened his arms and struck a few boundaries to push South Africa’s score past the 150-run mark. The South Africa captain was eventually dismissed for 70 by Asitha Fernando. Mulder walked out to join Kagiso Rabada and the pair added 26 runs for the last wicket. That helped the hosts get to 191 before they were bowled out.
In reply, Sri Lanka fell like nine pins. None of the batters could put up a fight. Only two batters got into double figures and the scorecard wore a sorry look. The ball seamed around and batting was tough but it was not a pitch for 42 all out.
The procession started with Rabada drawing the edge of Dimuth Karunaratne in the third over. Jansen got his first wicket as he got Pathum Nissanka to edge to third slip. The tall left-arm pacer got two more wickets in his following two overs as he knocked over Dinesh Chandimal through the gate before forcing a struggling Angelo Mathews to nick off to first slip.
Kamindu Mendis who has been Sri Lanka’s best batter this year got a couple of boundaries. But Gerald Coetzee got the better of him for just 13. Jansen completed his five-wicket haul in his next over as he knocked over Dhananjaya de Silva before Prabath Jayasuriya edged to third slip.
Coetzee removed Kusal Mendis before Kumara struck a couple of boundaries to push the score past 40. Jansen wrapped up the innings with two wickets in the 14th over. The left-arm fast bowler entered record books as he registered the second-best figures for South Africa in Test cricket. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 42 which is their lowest-ever in the history of Test cricket.
South Africa extend lead to 281
With a lead of 149, South Africa started well in their second innings. Tony de Zorzi and Aiden Markram stitched a 47-run opening stand. Prabath Jayasuriya was the one who got Sri Lanka the breakthrough as he got de Zorzi to slog sweep one straight to deep square leg.
Markram at the other end was looking solid while Mulder got a promotion to No. 3, considering his injury. They added 30 runs for the second wicket before Jayasuriya struck again. Mulder was out LBW for 15. Markram continued to keep the scoreboard ticking and just when he was about to reach fifty, he dragged one back onto his stumps to give Vishwa Fernando his first wicket of the innings.
Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs got together at that stage and put on 43 runs which is yet to be broken. Both batters got a boundary each and rotated strike well as they kept the Sri Lankan bowlers at bay. South Africa ended the day on 132/3 with a lead of 281. Stubbs is batting on 17 while Bavuma is unbeaten on 24.
South Africa will be looking to pile on the misery on Sri Lanka. The visitors are now well behind in the stump and need a big performance by the bowlers first and then, the batters to make a match out of this.
BRIEF SCORES: South Africa 191 (Temba Bvuma 70, Keshav Maharaj 24, Asitha Fernando 3/44, Lahiru Kumara 3/70) & 132/3 (Aiden Markram 37, Temba Bavuma 24*, Prabath Jayasuriya 2/48) lead Sri Lanka 42 (Kamindu Mendis 13, Marco Jansen 7/13, Gerald Coetzee 2/18) by 281 runs.
