South Africa's Kagiso Rabada delivers the ball during the first day of the opening Test match between Sri Lanka and South Africa at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle on July 12, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI
Kagiso Rabada backed up Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis’ statement that he’s going to be the leader of the attack with a fine spell in the second session of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Thursday.
The 23-year-old quick, the No 1 ranked Test bowler, claimed two wickets in three balls as the hosts struggled to 161/6 after rain brought an early tea interval.
Rabada began his second spell with a perfect dismissal of Sri Lankan batting talisman Angelo Mathews, who edged a delivery outside off, before roughing up Roshen Silva with a brute of a short ball, smartly snapped up by Aiden Markram at short leg.
He finished the session with figures of 3/35.
Left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi (2/30) continued his good form with two victims, supporting Rabada well.
The evergreen Dale Steyn also moved to within two wickets of the South African Test record, claiming a 420th scalp.
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne was the mainstay of the Sri Lankan batting with an unbeaten 80.
Teams
Sri Lanka: Suranga Lakmal (capt), Dimuth Karunaratne, Danushka Gunathilaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Roshen Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath, Lakshan Sandakan
South Africa: Faf du PLessis (capt), Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wk), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn
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