Sipamla finds form to end Lankan innings but not before tourists post 396

Things happened in a rush on the second morning of the first Test at Centurion on Sunday as Sri Lanka added 56 runs in 11 overs, while South Africa took the remaining three wickets they needed to bowl them out and then reached a bright 45 without loss at lunch.

Sri Lanka were taken to an emphatic total of 396 all out – their highest in South Africa – by the aggressive Dasun Shanaka, who really took the attack to some wayward bowling to score 66 not out off 87 balls, which included five sixes. Considering that his previous best Test score in six innings was 17 and he had an average of just 5.80 before Sunday, it is fair to say the all-rounder caught the Proteas somewhat unawares.

Kasun Rajitha provided good support with his innings of 12 as 67 were added for the seventh wicket, another record for Sri Lanka against South Africa, beating the 62 Mahela Jayawardena and Farveez Maharoof put on in Colombo in 2006.

But the arrival of debutant fast bowler Lutho Sipamla in the attack changed South Africa’s fortunes. After a tough first day, Sipamla pushed his length up and claimed three wickets in 12 balls to finish with a highly creditable four for 76. His first-ball dismissal of Vishwa Fernando was particularly impressive as a beautiful delivery angled in and then straightened to hit off stump from a good length.

South Africa were faced with a little less than an hour of batting before lunch and openers Dean Elgar (15*) and Aiden Markram (27*) looked solid and scored quickly in the 11 overs bowled before the break.

Markram collected five boundaries with some elegant drives as the Titans opening pair looked comfortable on their home pitch.

With Dhananjaya de Silva having to retire hurt on the first day having scored a commanding 79 not out, the Proteas enjoyed another stroke of good fortune when pace bowler Rajitha left the field injured after bowling the first ball of his third over.

Dhananjaya’s thigh strain has already ruled him out of the rest of the series, meaning Sri Lanka will miss his useful off-breaks, but they can ill afford to lose a frontline paceman in conditions that are more suited to seam bowling.

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