South Africa collapsed dramatically against Sri lanka’s spin to crash to 73 all out in the first Test in Galle yesterday, their lowest total since readmission to international cricket.
The dismal performance came a day after they were bowled out for just 126, which had been their previous lowest Test innings in Sri Lanka.
Offspinner Dilruwan Perera took 6-32 and veteran left-arm spinner Rangana Herath claimed 3-32 as the pair bowled in an unbroken partnership for 28 overs after Sri Lanka set South Africa a target of 352 for victory.
Photo: AP
Herath moved to ninth on the all-time wicket tally, with 423 career dismissals to his name, while Perera’s five-wicket haul was the sixth of his career.
South Africa’s match aggregate of 199 was 20 runs fewer than Sri Lanka opener Dimuth Karunaratne’s individual score across both innings.
Only three of the visitors made it into double figures and the highest partnership yielded just 22 as batsmen repeatedly fell in their attempts to take on the Sri Lanka spinners.
South Africa’s top scorer was Vernon Philander, who made 22 not out, with opener Aiden Markram batting out the most deliveries, facing 46 for his 19.
Perera made the first breakthrough in the third over after lunch, having opener Dean Elgar stumped after the batsman ran down the pitch and failed to connect with a turning delivery. Hashim Amla was caught at leg-slip for a duck in Perera’s next over and Temba Bavuma was caught for 2 by the same fielder shortly after, reducing South Africa to 24-3.
The wickets continued to tumble as Herath began to strike as well, with the next three batsmen out for the addition of 11 runs in the space of four overs.
It was not until left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj joined Philander at the crease with the score on 36-6 that South Africa began to show any resistance, and even that partnership was snuffed out in 22 deliveries.
Left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan was required only to take the final wicket of the innings, while paceman and stand-in captain Suranga Lakmal did not bowl himself in this innings at all.
South Africa had begun the day 272 runs in arrears, but had bowled with discipline to remove the last six Sri Lanka wickets for 79 runs.
Kagiso Rabada had struck twice in an over in the first hour of the day, before Dale Steyn and spinners Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi took one wicket apiece to finish the innings off.
Sri Lanka’s second innings 190 was built on 35 from Angelo Mathews, and a stroke-filled 33 off 46 balls from Lakmal, who came in at No. 9.
South Africa were always going to struggle with a target of 352, but the rate at which they lost their wickets will be cause for serious concern ahead of the second Test in Colombo.
Sri Lanka’s regular captain Dinesh Chandimal has been suspended for the series after he pleaded guilty to a breach of the spirit of cricket, over an incident that occurred in the West Indies last month.
Freddie Freeman homered and drove in four runs, Shohei Ohtani also went deep and Roki Sasaki earned his first major league win as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 10-3 on Saturday night for their seventh straight victory. The Dodgers have won the first two games of the series to improve to 5-0 against Atlanta this year. Los Angeles’ three-game sweep at home early in the season left the Braves 0-7. Sasaki allowed three runs and six hits over five innings. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up a home run to Ozzie Albies, but received plenty of offensive support in his
Bayern Munich on Sunday were crowned German champions for the 34th time, giving striker Harry Kane his first major trophy, after second-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 2-2 at SC Freiburg. Bayern’s 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, when the Bavarians came from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equalizer, meant defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen needed to win at Freiburg to delay the title party. Leverkusen were two goals down before scoring twice in the final 10 minutes, but Xabi Alonso’s side could not find a third, as Bayern reclaimed the title at the first attempt after
INTER AWAIT: Superb saves by PSG ’keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma inspired the victory, as Arsenal were punished for misses, including one by Bukayo Saka Arsenal on Wednesday fell short on the big stage again as their painful UEFA Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain left Mikel Arteta to rue his club’s failure to provide him with enough attacking options. Arteta’s side were unable to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 19 years as PSG clinched a tense 2-1 win at Parc des Princes. Trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg in London, the Gunners made a blistering start to the second leg, but could not convert their chances as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s superb saves inspired PSG’s 3-1 aggregate victory. Arsenal were punished for
THRILLER: Raphinha gave Barca a 3-2 lead with two minutes remaining of regular time, but Francesco Acerbi equalized the game in the second minute of added time Davide Frattesi on Tuesday fired Inter into the UEFA Champions League final with an extra-time winner that gave the Italians a stunning 4-3 triumph over Barcelona, 7-6 on aggregate. Italy midfielder Frattesi won a tie for the ages under a downpour in Milan when he lashed home in the 99th minute, sending a packed and rocking San Siro wild with joy. Simone Inzaghi’s team will face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this month in Munich, Germany, where they would feel they have a great chance to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time after
RSS