Hashim Amla led South Africa’s fightback after Sri Lanka struck three early blows on the second day of the second Test match at Kingsmead cricket ground in Durban, South Africa, yesterday.
South Africa were 100 for three at tea in reply to a Sri Lankan first innings of 338 in which Thilan Samaraweera made a century and Marchant de Lange took seven wickets on debut.
Amla struck a fluent 52 not out and dominated an unbeaten third-wicket stand of 73 with AB de Villiers (23 not out). The pair came together after South Africa lost their first three wickets for 27 runs.
Photo: AFP
De Lange’s figures of seven for 81 were the best recorded by any bowler in Test matches this year and put him at the top of an extraordinary crop of eight bowlers who have taken five or more wickets in an innings in their first Test match this year.
Samaraweera made 102 before he was last man out. He became only the second Sri Lankan to hit a Test century in South Africa, joining Hashan Tillekeratne, who made 104 at Centurion in 2002 to 2003.
Samaraweera and Rangana Herath frustrated the South African bowlers at the start of the day, adding 46 to the overnight total of 289 for seven, with Samaraweera batting watchfully to reach his 13th Test century off 265 balls.
After Samaraweera reached his hundred, Herath top-edged a slog against De Lange and was caught by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher for 30. He had an escape on seven when he played a similar shot against Morne Morkel and was caught by the bowler, only for Morkel to be no-balled after umpire Richard Kettleborough asked for a review. It was the second time in the series Morkel was denied a wicket after a check on where his front foot had landed.
The tall, strongly built De Lange quickly wrapped up the innings, having Chanaka Welegedera caught at short-leg fending off a vicious bouncer before Samaraweera was caught at deep cover.
Only two South Africans have achieved better figures on debut than De Lange, who was a late replacement for the injured Vernon Philander, who also made an exceptional start to his Test career, with four five-wicket hauls in his first three matches, including five for 15 on debut against Australia.
The best figures by a South African on debut are eight for 64 by Lance Klusener against India in Kolkata in 1996 to 1997.
Chanaka Welegedera had a hand in all three South African dismissals, which came at a cost of five runs. South Africa reached 22 for no wicket without Graeme Smith and Jacques Rudolph looking in any trouble before Rudolph played a loose hook against Thisara Perera and was caught at long-leg by a diving Welegedera.
Welegedera then struck twice with his left-arm pace bowling, having South African captain Graeme Smith caught behind for 15 and Jacques Kallis caught at second slip without scoring.
Amla and De Villiers had to rebuild, but Amla did so with sweetly timed strokes, mainly on the off side, as he reached 50 off 69 balls with 10 fours.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care