DURBAN: Lahiru Kumara struck twice as Sri Lanka’s bowlers had the better of a rain-hit opening day of the first Test against South Africa here at Kingsmead on Wednesday.

South Africa were 80 for four when rain stopped play for the day shortly before lunch.

Fast bowler Kumara took wickets in successive overs to put his team on top — and was denied a third wicket because of a no-ball.

“There was a lot in favour of the bowling team and they bowled well. The deliveries that got wickets were all pretty decent,” said South African batting coach Ashwell Prince.

“It’s a skilled bowling line-up and obviously they have done their homework.”

Sri Lankan bowling coach Darshana Gamage said pace was Kumara’s biggest asset.

With a history of hamstring injuries, he is now being used as a Test specialist.

“In this [World] Test Championship, we wanted to have all our bowlers fresh,” said Gamage. “Our biggest challenge is to have quicks who will win us Test matches and I can say that we have the nucleus now to do the job away from home.”

Sri Lanka’s decision to bowl first on a well-grassed pitch paid off under a heavily overcast sky.

Namesakes Ajitha and Vishwa Fernando dismissed both South Africa’s openers with the total on 14.

Ajitha Fernando had Aiden Markram caught at first slip and the left-armed Vishwa had the left-handed Tony de Zorzi caught at second slip in what were virtual mirror-image dismissals, with the ball swinging away from the batsmen.

Tristan Stubbs and South African captain Temba Bavuma defended doggedly, taking the total to 29 after 13 overs.

There was a flurry of scoring when Kumara came into the attack in the 14th over, with 17 runs added off his first over — four leg-byes, a no-ball and three boundaries by Stubbs.

But the strongly-built Kumara found extra bounce with the first ball of his second over, having Stubbs caught at third slip for 16.

David Bedingham hit a boundary but was then beaten for pace by a ball which sent his off stump flying.

Kumara celebrated a third wicket when Bavuma, on 20, gloved an attempted hook at Kumara’s first short-pitched delivery of the innings to be caught behind by wicket-keeper Kusal Mendis.

But a check by the third umpire showed that Kumara had over-stepped.

Bavuma, who was dropped at third slip by Dimuth Karunaratne off Vishwa Fernando when he was on one, was unbeaten on 28 when rain drove the players off the field.

The weather is expected to clear from Thursday and Prince said South Africa were in a reasonable position, referring to the first Test between Australia and India in Perth last weekend when two low first innings totals were followed by a strong Indian second-innings performance.

“Last week’s Test in Australia was a good example of how when conditions change, things can change for the batting team. When the sun came out the pitch changed colour and conditions changed dramatically. We’re hoping for a bit of sunshine tomorrow morning.”

The two-Test series is crucial to both sides’ hopes of reaching next year’s World Test Championship final at Lord’s, with Sri Lanka sitting third in the table and South Africa fifth.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings): A. Markram c Mathews b A. Fernando 9 T. de Zorzi c K.D. Mendis b V. Fernando 4 T. Stubbs c Karunaratne b Kumara 16 T. Bavuma not out 28 D. Bedingham b Kumara 4 K. Verreynne not out 9 EXTRAS (B-2, LB-4, NB-3, W-1) 10
TOTAL (for four wkts, 20.4 overs) 80 FALL OF WICKETS: 1-14 (Markram), 2-14 (de Zorzi), 3-46 (Stubbs), 4-54 (Bedingham) STILL TO BAT: W. Mulder, M. Jansen, G. Coetzee, K. Maharaj, K. Rabada BOWLING: A. Fernando 8-3-22-1, V. Fernando 6.4-0-17-1 (1w), Mathews 2-2-0-0, Kumara 4-0-35-2 (3nb) SRI LANKA: D. Karunaratne, P. Nissanka, D. Chandimal, A. Mathews, K.D. Mendis, D. de Silva, K. Mendis, P. Jayasuriya, A. Fernando, L. Kumara, V. Fernando

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2024