Lunch South Africa 191 (Bavuma 70, Maharaj 24, Asitha 3-44, Kumara 3-70) Vs. Sri Lanka
South Africa recovered from 117 for 7 – and the possibility of their lowest total against Sri Lanka at home (128) – but were nine for 200 in their first innings at Kingsmead. While blue skies and sunshine meant batting conditions should, in theory, have been easier, Sri Lanka’s excellent attack took 6 for 111 in the morning session and will feel they have given the advantage to their equipment.
After only 20.4 overs were possible on a rain-lashed first day, Vishwa picked up where he left off and found early movement. He appealed for an lbw against Kyle Verreynne’s second ball, but replays showed an inside advantage. Verreynne only faced three more balls before Kumara fired a 141 km/h ball that overshot him and hit him on the front pad. At first glance it looked like the impact may have been off the line, but Verreynne did not consult with Bavuma and walked away. Replays showed he was out anyway.
Three balls later, Sri Lanka squandered a review when Wiaan Mulder came towards his pad, but their problems were just beginning. In Kumara’s next over, he was hit on the right hand while trying to defend a ball that came back in. He received on-field treatment and tried to continue despite having difficulty gripping the bat. He left out the next ball he faced and immediately wrung his hand in pain, left the last ball of the over and then retired hurt. He batted again in the session, but will have an x-ray taken during the lunch break.
Marco Jansen got his first runs when he clipped a Vishwa full toss off his legs for four and then hit Kumara outside fourth slip. Kumara’s impressive first morning spell ended when Bavuma pushed him through the sheets for four and his figures read 8-1-51-3.
Sri Lanka made a double change with Asitha replacing Kumara and the spin of Prabath Jayasuriya replacing Vishwa. Jayasuriya was successful with his 10th ball when Jansen missed a delivery and was hit on the pad in front of leg stump. He checked without success. Gerald Coetzee was also drawn in by one that was bowled and recklessly hit Jayasuriya to mid-wicket, where Kamindu Mendis raced forward to take a good catch. South Africa had lost 3 for 34 in 9.1 overs at that point, with no real batting to come.
Keshav Maharaj joined Bavuma thanks to four consecutive Test ducks and took his highest Test score in nine innings. He showed some fight against Jayasuriya, whose fourth over he hit for 15 runs, including an impressive six, straight down the ground. When Jayasuriya was replaced by Vishwa, Maharaj did not control his instincts, took a wide ball and drove it through the air towards Dhananjaya de Silva at half-time.
Bavuma had just turned fifty, but was running out of partners and took matters into his own hands. He left his feet to pick up Kumara for six, then drove him through extra cover and bowled him for four more. The fun did not last long and when Kumara was replaced by Asitha and Bavuma crossed the line, he reached the mid-wicket, where Kumara judged well the catch with the wind. Bavuma was dismissed just before what should have been the scheduled lunch break, but as he was the ninth wicket to fall, the session was extended by half an hour. Sri Lanka only needed 17 minutes of that time before Kagiso Rabada hooked Asitha into a deep back square.
