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SA vs SL 1st Test Highlights: Marco Jansen Takes 11; Bavuma, Stubbs Smack Tons As South Africa Demolish SL

Aakash Saini

South African players celebrating a Sri Lankan wicket [Source: @ProteasMenCSA/x]South African players celebrating a Sri Lankan wicket [Source: @ProteasMenCSA/x]

South Africa crushed the visiting Sri Lankan team by 233 runs at the Kingsmead Cricket Ground in Durban on November 30. The outcome helped the hosts take a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series.

Here’s the timeline of how SA vs SL panned out in Durban:

SA vs SL Highlights: Bavuma Leads SA From The Front After Lahiru Rattles Middle-Order

Sri Lankan new ball pacemen Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando jolted South Africa early with the wickets of both openers, Aiden Markram and Tony de Zorzi respectively at 14-2. Pace mate Lahiru Kumara subsequently tore through South Africa’s middle-order with three quick wickets to reduce the Proteas to 83-5 on a rain-marred opening day and the following morning.

Captain Temba Bavuma, batting at number four, navigated his team to safety with a counterattacking 70-run knock with nine boundaries and a six, and shared a valiant lower-order stand with Keshav Maharaj (24 off 35) shortly after Prabath Jayasuriya’s two-wicket burst on the second morning.

Bavuma’s four-hour long defiance lasted 117 deliveries before Asitha Fernando (3-44) and Vishwa Fernando (2-35) mopped up the entire South African innings at 191 in 49.4 overs.

SA vs SL Highlights: Marco Jansen Takes Seven In Dramatic Sri Lankan Collapse

Up against South Africa’s 191, Sri Lankan first innings lasted just 13.5 overs before getting all out for 42, thus recording their lowest-total in Test history and the third lowest by any team in the 21st century. Kamindu Mendis (13 off 20) and unbeaten tailender Lahiru Kumara (10* off 5) themselves accounted for 23 of those runs combined, with six extras contributing as the next biggest benefactor of the innings.

Sri Lanka’s dismal batting hour featured as many as five ducks, and four additional single-digit scores. Lanky South African fast bowler Marco Jansen recorded career-best figures of 7-13 from 6.5 overs, while fellow pacemen Kagiso Rabada (1-10) and Gerald Coetzee (2-18) claimed the remaining batters on offer as the hosts walked away with a 149-run lead at the halfway stage of the match.

SA vs SL Highlights: Bavuma, Stubbs Centuries Mount South African Lead

Emboldened with a 149-run lead, South African opener Aiden Markram made a swift 47 after losing partner Tony de Zorzi early to Prabath Jayasuriya. Markram himself was denied a half-century by Vishwa Fernando, shortly after Wiaan Mulder became Jayasuriya’s second wicket of the innings.

Forming forces at 89-3, South African captain Temba Bavuma (113 off 228) and Tristan Stubbs (122 off 221) plundered identical centuries and formed a 249-run partnership for the fourth wicket to soar the hosts past the 300-run mark. David Bedingham cracked an unbeaten 21 from 11 balls before captain Bavuma called for a declaration at 366-5d in 100.4 overs, thus setting the visitors a monumental target of 516.

SA vs SL Highlights: South African Pace Trio Demolish SL To Secure Huge Win

Defending 516, Kagiso Rabada and Gerald Coetzee got the early wickets of openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka to jolt the Sri Lankan top-order at 38-2. Marco Jansen chipped in with two of his own in the form of Angelo Mathews and Kamindu Mendis before Rabada took the prized-scalp of night watchman Prabath Jayasuriya at the brink of stumps on Day 3 at 101-5.

Overnight batter Dinesh Chandimal crafted 83 runs from 174 balls and shared 95 and 75 runs with captain Dhananjaya de Silva (59 off 81) and wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis (48 off 77) respectively. South African spinner Keshav Maharaj seized two during the closing stages of the match while Jansen bagged the final two wickets on offer to finish with 4-73 from 21.4 overs.

Hauling 11 wickets in the match, Jansen’s ‘Player of the Match’ effort helped South Africa seal a 233-run win to go 1-0 up in the three-match Test series.