ZCZC
BSP-28
CRICKET-SRI-RSA
Spinners put Sri Lanka on top in 1st South Africa Test
GALLE, Sri Lanka, July 13, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Spinners led by Dilruwan
Perera put hosts Sri Lanka in firm command of the first Test on Friday after
South Africa were bowled out for 126 — their lowest Test innings in the
country.
First innings centurion Dimuth Karunaratne then made a fluent 60 as the
hosts ended day two on 111 for four, leading by 272 runs at the Galle
International Stadium.
Angelo Mathews, on 14, and Roshen Silva, on 10, were batting at close of
play after left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj claimed three wickets for South
Africa.
But it was the Sri Lankan bowlers who starred on a dramatic day that
witnessed South Africa slip to 51-6 before being bowled out for 126 in the
second session of play.
The dismal effort set a new low for South Africa in Sri Lanka, worse than
their 169 in Colombo in 2006.
Perera returned impressive figures of 4-46 with his off-spin, while paceman
and stand-in skipper Suranga Lakmal took three wickets.
Veteran spinner Rangana Herath started Sri Lanka’s dominance by sending
back nightwatchman Maharaj early, and Perera soon took crucial wickets
including the dangerous Hashim Amla for 15.
Skipper Faf du Plessis made a gritty 49 and his 64-run seventh-wicket
partnership with Vernon Philander, who made 18, was the best that South
Africa could muster in their 54.3 overs.
Herath grabbed two wickets while left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan
claimed one — the three spinners sharing seven wickets in total.
Lakmal did not bowl at all until the 37th over of the innings, but was
effective after lunch on day two, rattling the off-stump of du Plessis with a
delivery that jagged in sharply.
Lakmal then quickly got rid of the number nine and 10 batsmen to end the
innings with figures of 3-21 from only 4.3 overs.
Having established a lead of 161, Sri Lanka quickly set about extending it
when they began their second innings, with the openers putting on a 51-run
partnership.
Karunaratne became only the second Sri Lanka batsman to score a hundred and
a fifty in the same Test against South Africa, but was caught at slip off the
bowling of Kagiso Rabada late in the day.
BSS/AFP/ARS/1853 hrs