Vishwa Fernando took four wickets as underdogs Sri Lanka heeded new captain Dimuth Karunaratne's call to "compete in every session" on the first day of the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Wednesday.
South Africa, overwhelming favourites against a team seemingly in disarray, were bowled out for 235. Sri Lanka were 49 for one at the close.
Left-arm opening bowler Fernando dismissed both South African opening batsmen cheaply as the hosts found themselves floundering at 17 for three after being sent in on a pitch which offered bounce and swing on a partially overcast morning.
Fernando, 27, playing in his fourth Test, went on to claim career-best figures of four for 62. Kasun Rajitha took three for 68.
Wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, batting at number six because South Africa picked five specialist bowlers, gave the South African innings some respectability by hitting 80 off 94 balls before he was last man out.
Sri Lanka lost Lahiru Thirimanne, caught behind off Dale Steyn for nought, but Karunaratne batted confidently to be 28 not out at the close, while new cap Oshada Fernando went on the attack when South African captain Faf du Plessis turned to spin bowling as the light faded to finish on 17 not out.
Sri Lanka came into the match having lost six of their most recent seven Tests and with several changes in playing personnel, including the dropping of regular captain Dinesh Chandimal, and selectors.
Scoreboard
===============================================================
South Africa, first innings
===============================================================
A. Markram b V. Fernando 11
D. Elgar c Dickwella b V. Fernando 0
H. Amla c Mendis b Lakmal 3
T. Bavuma run out (V. Fernando) 47
F. du Plessis c Dickwella b Rajitha 35
Q. de Kock c V. Fernandon b Rajitha 80
V. Philander c and b Rajitha 4
K. Maharaj c Dickwella b V. Fernando 29
K. Rabada c O. Fernando b V. Fernando 3
D. Steyn b Embuldeniya 15
D. Olivier not out 0
Extras: (lb6, nb2) 8
===============================================================
Total: (59.4 overs) 235
===============================================================
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Elgar), 2-9 (Amla), 3-17 (Markram), 4-89 (Du Plessis), 5-110 (Bavuma), 6-131 (Philander), 7-178 (Maharaj), 8-186 (Rabada), 9-219 (Steyn)
Bowling: Lakmal 14-3-29-1, V. Fernando 17-1-62-4, Rajitha 14.4-0-68-3 (2nb), Karunaratne 3-0-9-0, Embuldeniya 10-1-51-1, O. Fernando 1-0-10-0
===============================================================
Sri Lanka, first innings
===============================================================
D. Karunaratne not out 28
L. Thirimanne c De Kock b Steyn 0
O. Fernando not out 17
Extras: (b3, lb1) 4
===============================================================
Total: (1 wkt, 16 overs) 49
===============================================================
Fall of wicket: 1-19 (Thirimanne)
Bowling: Steyn 5-1-10-1, Philander 4-0-14-0, Rabada 2-1-1-0, Olivier 2-0-2-0, Maharaj 2-0-13-0, Elgar 1-0-5-0
To bat: K. Perera, K. Mendis, D. de Silva, N. Dickwella, S. Lakmal, V. Fernando, K. Rajitha, L. Embuldeniya
Match situation: Sri Lanka trail by 186 runs with nine wickets remaining in the first innings
Toss: Sri Lanka
Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK), Richard Kettleborough (ENG)
TV umpire: Ian Gould (ENG)
Match referee: Richie Richardson (WIS).
Comments
Comments are closed.