Sports
Sri Lanka bowled out for record low
Rex Clementine
in Durban
In a frenzied hour of cricket carnage, Sri Lanka hit rock bottom, skittled out for a paltry 42— their lowest Test score ever—on a dismal day in Durban. A cocktail of disciplined South African bowling and Sri Lanka’s reckless shot selection left the visitors in tatters, potentially derailing their hopes for a spot in next year’s World Test Championship final.
This debacle eclipsed their previous low of 71 all out against Pakistan at Asgiriya in 1994. Adding insult to injury, it also became the lowest total recorded by any team against South Africa. The innings unraveled in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it 13.3 overs, leaving fans and pundits rubbing their eyes in disbelief.
The chief architect of Sri Lanka’s misery was left-arm seamer Marco Jansen, who ripped through the batting order like a tornado, claiming career-best figures of seven for 13. Bowling unchanged from one end, Jansen was on the money, while Kagiso Rabada and Gerald Coetzee picked up the crumbs, sharing the remaining three wickets.
Ironically, Sri Lanka’s bowlers had earlier done the heavy lifting, bundling out South Africa for 191—a total that should have set the stage for the batsmen to consolidate. With South Africa one bowler down following injury to Wiaan Mulder, the opportunity was there to milk the attack. Instead, Sri Lanka’s batsmen played recklessly, squandering their chance to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.
The unraveling began with Angelo Mathews chasing a wide delivery he had no business touching, gifting his wicket in a moment of madness. Dinesh Chandimal soon followed, dragging one onto his stumps, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 16 for 4 and staring down the barrel.
Kamindu Mendis, the glue that has held Sri Lanka’s innings together in recent collapses, failed to rise to the occasion this time. Attempting a flashy drive to a ball begging to be left alone, he handed a straightforward catch to the slips.
Dhananjaya de Silva, the captain who should have steadied the ship, instead swung for the fences, only to inside-edge onto his stumps. With the score now 32 for 6, it was all but over. Kusal Mendis compounded the misery, trapped plumb in front for a duck, while the tail barely offered any resistance.
The shocking capitulation seemed to sap the team’s energy, as Sri Lanka took the field for South Africa’s second innings with all the enthusiasm of a deflated balloon. Shoulders drooped, and intensity waned, allowing South Africa to stretch their lead to 226 by the time this edition went to print.
The lone bright spot on an otherwise abysmal day was left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya. The wily tweaker etched his name in the record books, becoming the fastest Sri Lankan—and joint-fastest in the world—to 100 Test wickets. However, Jayasuriya’s milestone was cold comfort on a day when Sri Lanka served up victory to South Africa on a silver platter.
Rex Clementine
in Port Elizabeth
Fast bowler Lahiru Kumara bowled with fire and picked up two wickets in the morning session in the second Test against South Africa and in the process became only the fifth Sri Lankan quick to claim 100 Test wickets. South Africa after losing three for 44, recovered thanks to a 133 run partnership between Ryan Rickelton and Temba Bavuma and were 179 for four at tea.
Kumara, who started the game on 99 wickets cleaned up Aiden Markram with a delivery that swung back in. He then had Tristan Stubbs caught behind by Kusal Mendis to put South Africa in trouble.
Asitha Fernando, meanwhile, was on the money dismissing Tony de Zorzi with his first delivery in the game. Operating from the Duck Port End, Asitha sent down a yorker which the batter wasn’t able to keep away and was given out leg before wicket.
The third wicket partnership between Bavuma and Rickelton, making a comeback to the side, was threatening when Asitha came back for a fresh spell and dismissed the South African captain five minutes before tea.
Bavuwa was tested by a barrage of short, pitched bowling and he survived twice attempting to take on the bowler, but eventually gloved one to the wicketkeeper to depart for 78.
Rickelton carried on regardless and was unbeaten on 72.
South Africa opted to bat first after winning the toss and Sri Lanka’s bowlers toiled hard with the pitch offering little help for the bowlers.
Sri Lanka were contemplating to go with an all seam attack as the curators had left quite a bit of grass on the pitch. However, in the morning of the Test, they opted to play the same eleven that featured in Durban retaining left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya.
Jayasuriya bowled with control but couldn’t pick up a wicket.
Sri Lanka had a disastrous start to the series when they were bowled out for 42 in Durban. It is their lowest total ever in Test match cricket. Although they fared much better in the second innings, South Africa went onto complete comprehensive win with a day to spare.
The loss pushed Sri Lanka to number four in the points table of the World Test Championship and they badly need a win in Port Elizabeth to keep their chances alive in the WTC.They have got two more Tests in Galle against Australia in the cycle, but another defeat in South Africa will make their chances to go through to Lord’s next June difficult.
Under 19 Cricket
by Reemus Fernando
Spinners Thathsara Eshan and Poorna Kalhara shared nine wickets between them to rattle St. Servatius’ for 64 runs as Gurukula registered a six wickets victory in the Under 19 traditional cricket encounter at Uyanwatta Stadium on Thursday.
After speedster Tharusha Kodikara led the pace attack to reduce the home team to 97 runs, spinners took bowling honours on day two rattling St.Servatius’ to their lowest total this season.
Gurukula needed just 12 overs to score the win need. It is the first outright victory registered by Gurukula this season.
Scores
St. Servatius’ 97 all out in 45 overs (Raveen Kavintha 19, Sanju Dilshan 18; Tharusha Kodikara 6/31, Poorna Kalhara 2/16) and no runs for no loss overnight 64 all out in 27 overs (Chamarindu Nethsara 15, Sanju Dilshan 15; Thathsara Eshan 5/27, Poorna Kalhara 4/15)
Gurukula 128 all out in 42 overs (Denura Dimansith 30, Janith Mihiranga 24; Praveen Madusanka 4/38, Jayaru Ekanayake 2/12, Iwan Zholobitskyi 2/16) and 34 for 4 in 12 overs (Denura Dimansith 15n.o.; Jayaru Ekanayake 3/18)
Division I Tier ‘B’
De Mazenod on first innings at Bandaragama
Scores
De Mazenod 188 for 8 overnight 201 all out in 61.2 overs (Sharith Sudeena 64, Praneeth Vithanage 26, Geenod Perera 31; Rusith Jayawardana 3/41, Bihanga Silva 4/30) and 33 for 5 in 12.2 overs (Sharith Sudeena 25; Bihanga Silva 3/16, Mevindu Kumarasiri 2/01)
Sri Sumangala 195 all out in 64.4 overs (Duranka Silva 37, Rusith Jayawardana 19, Senira Wijegunasinghe 28; Sharith Sudeena 4/68, Kaveen Nethmina 2/36)
St. Aloysius’ take first innings advantage at Karandeniya
Scores
Isipatana 84 all out in 32.4 overs (Ranmith Senarath 30; Dulsath Nimviru 3/22, Emalsha Pabasara 3/37, Kavindu Kesara 3/17) and 14 for 2 in 11.4 overs (Dulsath Nimviru 2/06)
St. Aloysius’ 160 all out in 50.5 overs (Vinod Danushka 65, Tharuka Perera 36, Charya Paranavithana 29, Navidu Pramod 22; Dasith Senal 5/41, Thithira Sansira 3/09)
Division I Tier ‘A’
Mahanama restrict St. Anthony’s to 208 runs at Mattegoda
Scores
St. Anthony’s Katugastota 208 all out in 66 overs (Kaushika Kumarasinghe 28, Anjana Dineth 22, Nedan Ebert 30, Januka Rathnayake 25, Charuka Ekanayake 65; Anuka Wijewardhane 3/78, Sithum Vihanga 3/26, Gimantha Dissanayake 2/30)
Mahanama 25 for 2 in 15.3 overs (Dulneth Algawatte 19)
Latest News
Rickelton’s maiden ton propels South Africa but Asitha, Kumara ensure opening day is evenly shared
Ryan Rickelton scored first Test century in his eighth Test and became the eighth batter in the team to bring up a hundred in 2024 on an evenly shared day at St George’s Park.
After choosing to bat first in blustery conditions, South Africa teetered on 44 for 3 in the morning session but a 133-run fourth wicket stand between Rickelton and Temba Bavuma who brought up his third successive score over fifty, saw them take control. They were rocked again at 186 for 5 but Rickelton and Kyle Verreynne put on 77 for the sixth-wicket to re-steady them. Sri Lanka came back with two late wickets in the day and will eye dismissing South Africa for under 300 and making the most of what are expected to be good batting conditions on day two.
Sri Lanka, who wanted to bowl first on a surface with a significant grass covering, and got their wish despite losing the toss, will feel fairly pleased with their performance, especially as their seamers asked plenty of questions. Asitha Fernado and Vishwa Fernando found just enough movement upfront whileLahiru Kumara was used effectively in bursts and all three were threatening with the short ball. They were not helped by two chances being put down and a few others falling short but on what is usually a good batting surface on the first day, they should not be too displeased with their efforts.
Brief scores:[Stumps]
South Africa 269 for 7 in 86.3 overs (Ryan Rickelton 101, Temba Bavuma 78, Kyle Verreynne 48*; Lahiru Kumara 3-54, Asitha Fernando 2-67) vs Sri Lanka
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