SA v SL, 1st Test Day 1, Review: Late strikes get Sri Lanka back in the game

The long away tour for Sri Lanka went underway at St. George’s Park, Port Elizabeth. The hosts South Africa were keen on cashing on the home advantage against the struggling Lankans. They walk into the series with their confidence beaming sky high after beating Australia down under. Luck seemed to be their way as well. The pitch looked like a typical South African deck that was hard and appeared like a belter for the first couple of days.

Newly appointed full-time skipper Faf du Plessis had no hesitation in batting first after winning the toss. They went in with the same line-up that had last featured for them in the famous Hobart Test. Keshav Maharaj was the lone spinner in the XI. Sri Lanka went with three pacers in Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Pradeep and Suranga Lakmal. Dilruwan Perera and Upul Tharanga were the big names missing out.

South African openers Stephen Cook and Dean Elgar walked in to start the proceedings for the hosts. Nuwan Pradeep shared the new ball with Suranga Lakmal. They were spot on with their lines, however, got little or no assistance from the deck. The openers easily saw the new ball through. A few maiden overs did not tinker the Protea batsmen. The first session went in the favor of the hosts as they did not lose any wicket in the session. A couple of overs into the second session saw South African openers put on a 100-run stand.

En route the partnership, Cook scored a fifty. His merry run from the Adelaide Test continued where he had scored a century. However, he was dismissed soon after that on 59 (125). Suranga Lakmal managed to get an outside edge and Dinesh Chandimal completed the catch. Hashim Amla was the new man in. Amla saw Elgar perish soon as Lakmal-Chandimal combined again for his departure on 45 (98). JP Duminy and Amla then managed to see the bowlers off till the end of the second session.

Wickets fell in clusters in the final session. Amla was the first to depart on 20 (76) as the Lakmal-Chandimal duo were at it yet again. The big weapon of Sri Lanka, Rangana Herath, then came into the picture. Soon after Duminy hit his 8th Test fifty, Herath caught him plumb on 63 (95). He struck again as Temba Bavuma was sent packing on 3 after a successful review by Sri Lanka. Lakmal then scalped his fourth to get rid of skipper Faf du Plessis on 37 (73). South Africa fell from 213/3 to 253/6.

Quinton de Kock and Vernon Philander then did well to ensure that no more wickets fell in the final session. South Africa finished as 267/6 at the end of the stipulated 90 overs on day 1. De Kock remained unbeaten on 25 off 40 deliveries and Philander remained not out on 6 after having faced 20 balls. For team Sri Lanka, it was Suranga Lakmal, who bagged a four-wicket haul. He returned with career-best figures of 4/62. He will hope to bag his first ever five-wicket haul tomorrow.

Brief Scores:

South Africa: 267/6 in 90 overs (Duminy 63, Cook 59, Lakmal 4/62; Herath 2/48)