Temba Bavuma top scored with 70 as South Africa were bowled out for 191 by Sri Lanka on the second morning of the first Test in Durban on Thursday.
Bavuma’s 22nd half century has given the home team a foothold in the match, which the tourists have dominated since their skipper Dhananjaya de Silva won the toss and predictably chose to bowl under cloudy skies on Wednesday.
The South African captain, who missed his side’s series triumph in Bangladesh, batted for nearly four hours, and while he rode his luck on the first day — after being dropped on one and caught off a no ball, shortly before the rain interruption that stopped play on Wednesday — there was little doubting his skill and perseverance when play resumed on day two.
Bavuma struck nine fours and a breathtaking six in an innings which underlined his value to the Test team.
Thursday dawned bright and warm, but a surface that still has a lush grass covering remained to the bowlers’ liking. There was less swing than was the case on the first day, but enough bounce and seam movement remained to ensure batting was a difficult exercise.
It took Sri Lanka just three overs to make the breakthrough with Lahiru Kumara trapping the Proteas keeper, Kyle Verreynne lbw for his overnight score of nine.
Wiaan Mulder, had a brief and painful stay at the crease after being struck on the bottom hand by Kumara off the fifth ball he faced. It caused a lengthy delay as Mulder received treatment to the middle finger of his right hand. After facing two more deliveries, during which he scored his first run, Mulder retired hurt, with the team’s management saying he would be sent for an X-ray at the lunch interval.
Those plans would change. One reason was the performance from Bavuma, who was looking increasingly more comfortable, and the second was the run spurt provided by Keshav Maharaj.
After Sri Lanka’s spinner, Prabath Jayasuriya had picked up the wickets of Marco Jansen for 13 and Gerald Coetzee for one, Maharaj launched his counterattack.
Ending a sequence of four Test innings in which he made ducks, Maharaj took 14 runs off an over from Jayasuriya, which included a beautiful lofted straight drive that flew for six. An even better shot followed in Jayasuriya’s next over when Maharaj, channelling his inner Virat Kohli, unleashed lofted cover drive that went for four.
That fun was never going to last long, and when he attempted another cover drive against the left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando, he spooned the ball to extra cover where Kamindu Mendis took a comfortable catch.
Maharaj’s 24, relieved some of the pressure on his captain, who having been denied the strike for an extended period, was able to eventually raise his bat after reaching 50 off 93 balls.
Bavuma booked himself a spot in the highlight reels with a lofted six over the slips, that saw him airborne as he made contact.
In full attacking mode, his dismissal while ill-timed, was understandable as he attempted to smash Asitha Fernando over the leg-side but could only sky the ball to mid-on where Kumara took a good catch as the ball dropped over his left shoulder.
Mulder did return, with extra protection on his right glove and struck a straight six off Dhananjaya.
SA couldn’t breach 200 however, with Kagiso Rabada out hooking for 15.
Kumara and Asitha Fernando, each picked up three wickets, while Vishwa Fernando and Jayasuriya took two each.
Source: Times Live
--Agencies
