Proteas enter lunch break with victory in their sights

South Africa were on the verge of victory in the first Test against Sri Lanka at SuperSport Park on Tuesday as they were able to tear through the visitors’ batting line-up on the fourth morning, taking five wickets.

Sri Lanka limped to lunch on 148 for seven, still trailing by 77 runs, and although Kasun Rajitha did come out to bat when the seventh wicket fell on the stroke of lunch, it was uncertain whether fellow injured quick bowler Lahiru Kumara would also come to the crease. Dhananjaya de Silva, who had a torn thigh muscle, would almost certainly not bat, meaning the Proteas were just one or two wickets away from a 1-0 lead in the series.

While Lungi Ngidi had been the wicket-taker on the third evening as Sri Lanka went to 65 for two overnight, it was seamer Wiaan Mulder who did most of the damage on Tuesday with a fine spell of nine overs, two for 29.

He made the first breakthrough of the day when he jagged a delivery back through Dinesh Chandimal’s gate, hitting the top of off stump and bowling him for 25. Mulder bowled particularly well to the left-handers and then had Niroshan Dickwella caught behind for 10, using the natural angle from over the wicket to good effect.

Opener Kusal Perera was still there, however, and landed some tremendous blows as he belted 64 off 87 balls, taking on the Proteas pacemen with the same belligerent attitude as in his famous matchwinning innings in Durban in 2019.

It was Anrich Nortje who removed the dangerman, however, winning a caught-behind decision against the left-hander with umpire Adrian Holdstock’s not out decision being overturned on review as a thin edge was picked up on UltraEdge.

Lutho Sipamla, who has just been getting better and better after a tough first day at the office, then produced a superb delivery to dismiss first-innings fifty-maker Dasun Shanaka for just 6. The fast bowler angled a nice and full delivery into the right-hander and it then nipped away, finding the edge as the batsman went on a big flatfooted drive, wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock pouncing on the catch.

A chaotic run out, Vishwa Fernando (0) showing poor awareness of the situation as he went for a quick single with the injured Wanindu Hasaranga, then completed another poor session for the Sri Lankans.

Hasaranga, who injured his leg in the field on the third day, has batted with plenty of spunk in scoring 28 not out.

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