Sports
A lot at stake in Sri Lanka – South Africa Tests
Rex Clementine in Durban
Sri Lanka’s cricketers wrapped up their final training session in Durban yesterday, exuding a sense of calm confidence ahead of the two-match Test series against South Africa. Touring South Africa has historically been a trial by fire, with fiery fast bowlers and hostile pitches ready to humble visiting teams. But times have changed. With past victories on these shores under their belt, Sri Lanka seems to have cracked the code, proving that no mountain is too high to climb.
Both teams have their eyes firmly set on the World Test Championship final, adding extra spice to this series. Sri Lanka currently sit third in the standings, just behind Australia and India, with New Zealand and South Africa hot on their heels. A series victory here could put either team in the driver’s seat for a spot at Lord’s next year, where the grand finale awaits.
To prepare for this crucial assignment, Sri Lanka’s Test squad landed in South Africa ten days early for a residential camp, guided by former Proteas batter Neil McKenzie, who previously served as South Africa’s batting coach.
Skipper Dhananjaya de Silva was quick to highlight the value of McKenzie’s expertise.
“Neil McKenzie ran some excellent batting sessions for us. He’s played a lot of cricket and shared vital insights—like how to handle the bounce and what to expect from the conditions here. The sessions were really productive,” Dhananjaya told reporters.
The Sri Lankan captain, who was part of the historic series win in 2019 when Sri Lanka became the first and only Asian team to win a Test series in South Africa, remains grounded despite past glories.
“We can draw confidence from that series, but what’s done is done. This is a new challenge, and we have to start from scratch. The pitch looks flat, but we’ll decide on our combination after another look,” he said.
Dhananjaya also emphasized the importance of finishing 2024 on a high.
“We’ve had a fantastic year in Test cricket, and it’s crucial to cap it off with strong performances. Every Test matters, and winning away from home is a huge source of pride for us. We pushed England hard earlier this year and were disappointed not to win that series, but it was satisfying to get a Test victory there,” he added.
South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma acknowledged Sri Lanka’s resilience, particularly in adapting to pace-heavy conditions.
“If Sri Lanka were vulnerable against fast bowling, they wouldn’t be sitting third in the Test Championship standings. They’ve performed well across different conditions. Playing in South Africa is always tough, but I’m sure their preparations will help them meet the challenge head-on,” Bavuma said.
Bavuma also tipped his hat to Sri Lanka’s middle-order sensation Kamindu Mendis, who has been in red-hot form in 2024. The 25-year-old has scored five centuries and three fifties in just seven Tests this year, making him the backbone of Sri Lanka’s batting lineup.
“I haven’t played much against him, so it’ll be interesting to see him in action. But we’ve done our homework and have plans in place for him. The guy’s been phenomenal, anchoring their middle order. We respect his ability but won’t be caught off guard,” Bavuma noted.
Sri Lanka (Probable XI):
Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (Captain), Kusal Mendis (Wicketkeeper), Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando.
South Africa (From):
Temba Bavuma (Captain), David Bedingham, Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickleton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (Wicketkeeper), Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada.
Kolkata Knight Riders picked up their fourth win on the trot, their spin bowlers (12-0-76-3) capturing Delhi Capitals in a vice-like grip and never letting go Finn Allen made sure that wouldn’t repeat in the second innings. He pulverised DC’s spinners (9-0-102-1) to score his first IPL century even though he only had 143 to chase.
Pathum Nissanka scored a good half-century. He made 50 of DC’s first 85 runs at a strike rate of 172. The other end could only contribute 33 at a strike rate of 103. It was symbolic of how hard it was for a new batter to settle in and how much pressure comes on the set batter on a pitch like this. Even though he was going at a good clip, and had hit the previous ball for four, he still left his crease looking for more and was stumped off Anukul Roy. The left-arm spinner took another wicket, four balls later.
DC were 74 for 2 after eight overs. But only four of those overs were from spin bowlers and three of them were inside the powerplay. Given the comfort of five fielders on the boundary, and a pitch that was slow and turning, Roy, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy started to dictate proceedings. At one point, DC scored just 11 runs in 30 balls. This was between overs 12 to 16. No IPL team in nearly two decades has ever been this sluggish in this period of play.
Roy set this choke up, stumping Nissanka out with a slower and wider delivery and bowling Tristan Stubbs out with the exact opposite of that. That was solid range for a bowler with no mystery about him.
With DC at 89 for 5, Axar Patel in wretched form (his 44 runs, with only three boundaries, are the fewest by any batter this season having faced at least 50 balls) and the conditions not helping run-scoring, all Narine and Varun had to do was what they do so well. Amp up the mystery. Aim at the stumps. Narine finished with 4-0-17-1. Varun, badly limping when he bowled his final over which cost 16 runs, finished with 4-0-28-0.
Ashutosh Sharma broke a boundary drought that last 38 balls in the 17th over. He reverse swept Vaibhav Arora, coming around the wicket, for six in the 19th over. His cameo – 39 off 28 balls – carried KKR to 142 for 8.
For the first time in his IPL career, Allen played through the powerplay. This was his eighth innings. He might have felt bad for running out his captain Ajinkya Rahane when his straight drive flicked Mitchell Starc’s outstretched finger and deflected onto the stumps but he quickly got over it. DC played a part in that a well with Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam bowling balls right in the slot. Allen is superb down the ground and needed no second invitation. From 20 off 17, he launched 10 sixes, the last of them when KKR needed two to win and he needed six to bring up 100.
Allen had a strike rate of 235 against spin (73 off 31). The next best, from both teams, was Rahane with 167, benefiting from playing just three balls and scoring five runs.
In a match where his former team’s spinners held so much sway (economy rate 6.33), Kuldeep suffered, going at 13.66 an over even though he was spared the trouble of bowling in the powerplay. Axar bowled three with the field up and still finished with figures of 4-0-27-1.
Brief scores:
Kolkata Knight Riders 147 for 2 in 14.2 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 13, Finn Allen 100*, Cameron Green 33*; Axar Patel 1-27 ) beat Delhi Capitals 142 for 8 in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 50, KL Rahul 23, Axar Patel 11, Ashutosh Sharma 39; Kartik Tyagi 2-25, Anukul Roy 2-31, Vaibhav Arora 1–29, Sunil Narine 1-17, Cameron Green 1-12) by eight wickets
[Cricinfo]
Fourteen-year-old opener Miyuru Bandara produced a remarkable batting performance to guide DS Senanayake College to a commanding position on the opening day of their annual Big Match against arch rivals Mahanama College at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground on Friday.
Electing to bat first in a weather-interrupted day one, D. S. Senanayake ended on 195 for four wickets, largely due to the vauable century by their Under-15 opening batsman Bandara.
Displaying maturity beyond his age, Bandara anchored the innings while building two crucial partnerships at the top of the order. He first added 67 runs for the opening wicket with Sithru Gunarathna before combining in a 51-run stand for the second wicket with Bihan Gamage.
The young opener occupied the crease for more than 55 overs and frustrated the Mahanama bowling attack with a patient yet authoritative knock. His innings finally came to an end when he became the first wicket claimed by Chamika Heenatigala, who finished the day with two wickets.
Bandara’s memorable innings included 13 boundaries and a six as he faced 156 deliveries, placing DS Senanayake firmly in control at the close of play on the rain-affected first day.
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