Faf gives SA upper hand
South Africa took three Sri Lankan wickets in three overs to finish strong on the third day of the first Test yesterday. Sri Lanka, needing 304 to win, were 83 for three at the close, 221 runs short of their target.
The tourists started their chase promisingly in Durban, with captain Dimuth Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne putting on 42 for the first wicket but both openers were out in the space of five balls.
Thirimanne fell for 21 to a sharp catch at second slip by South African captain Faf du Plessis when he edged an extravagant drive against Kagiso Rabada.
Oshada Fernando and Kusal Perera saw Sri Lanka through to an early close when bad light stopped play.
Left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya, 22, playing in his first Test, took five for 66 as South Africa were bowled for 259 in their second innings.
South Africa were on course to set the tourists a more challenging target when they reached 251 for five, with Du Plessis and Philander looking solid in a 60-run sixth wicket partnership.
But Embuldeniya took Philander's wicket to start a collapse in which the last five wickets fell for eight runs. Left-arm swinger Vishwa Fernando dismissed Du Plessis for 90 three overs later and the rest of the batting crumbled.
SCORES IN BRIEF
SOUTH AFRICA: First innings 235 & second innings 259 all out (Du Plessis 90, De Kock 55, Elgar 35; Ambuldeniya 5-66, Fernando 4-71)
SRI LANKA: First innings 191 & second innings 28 for 0 (Fernando 28 not out, Thirimanne 21, Karunaratne 20; Olivier 1-3, Philander 1-13)
Comments