10:36 AM Win Life
There has been some remarkable efforts by Sri Lanka’s inexperienced bowling attack this tour and their impressive efforts continued here in Port Elizabeth as they bowled out South Africa for 222 on the opening day of the second Test.
Needing only a draw to win a Test series in South Africa, Sri Lanka were not too worried when Francois Du Plessis opted to bat first.
Vishwa Fernando bowled a magnificent opening spell as he cleaned up Dean Elgar with a beauty. The South African vice-captain has struggled all summer and once again his defenses were breached as Fernando got one to sneak through bat and pad.
The next delivery – the one that accounted for Hashim Amla for a golden duck – was even better. Amla was taken by surprise as the ball cut back and clattered into the middle stump to put South Africa in trouble.
In the space of six deliveries, South Africa lost three wickets when Temba Bavuma was run out. The hard work Steve Rixon has put in with the team’s fielding was there to be seen as Kasun Rajitha ran out the batsman at the non-striker’s end with a direct hit.
Du Plessis and Aiden Markram steadied the ship adding 57 runs for the fourth wicket before Sri Lanka found a breakthrough in the penultimate delivery before lunch. The South Africa captain was yorked of all people by Dimuth Karunaratne’s gentle medium pace.
In the post lunch session, it was Kasun Rajitha’s opportunity to make further inroads as he claimed three wickets in one spell. Rajitha, who bowled quickest out of the Sri Lankan seamers had Markram (60) and debutant Wiaan Mulder (9) trapped leg before wicket while Keshav Maharaj was caught behind by Niroshan Dickwella.
A 59 run stand then followed for the eighth wicket between Kagiso Rabada and Quinton De Kock much to the frustration of the tourists as they had an opportunity to bowl South Africa out for less than 200.
