Sri Lanka recovered from captain Tillakaratne Dilshan’s early rush of blood to battle to 76 for three at lunch on the first day of the first Test against South Africa yesterday.
Sri Lanka were sent in to bat by South Africa in cloudy conditions providing plenty of assistance to the bowlers on a well-grassed pitch.
Dilshan controlled himself for his first half-dozen deliveries, before rashly trying to on-drive a swinging delivery from Dale Steyn and looping a catch to Vernon Philander at wide mid-on.
Photo: AFP
Dilshan was out for six, bringing former captain Kumar Sangakkara to the crease, but he lasted just three balls.
edged
He scored a single before Philander got a delivery to rear up at him and he edged the ball to second slip, where Jacques Kallis took a well-judged catch lunging to his left.
Photo: Reuters
Sri Lanka were teetering on 12 for two, but Tharanga Paranavitana and the experienced Mahela Jayawardene batted with great concentration in a sensible third-wicket stand of 54.
bowled
The session looked in danger of ending disappointingly for South Africa, but a hushed crowd burst to life four overs before lunch when Philander made a delivery hold its line to the left-handed Paranavitana and bowled him through the gate for 32.
Jayawardene went to lunch on 23 not out, with Thilan Samaraweera on six.
Philander was the best of the South African bowlers, with figures of two for 30 from nine overs.
Steyn took one for 13 in six overs, but the world’s No. 1 ranked bowler only occasionally produced his full pace.
Steyn’s wicket was, however, his 250th in Tests, the 28-year-old reaching the landmark in his 49th match.
Only Dennis Lillee has taken 250 wickets in fewer Tests — the Australian fast bowler reaching the milestone in his 48th match.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two