Sri Lanka finished day two on 60-2 and needing 137 runs to win the second Test at St George’s Park after they skittled the Proteas for 128 runs. KHALID MOHIDIN reports.
Wickets, wickets and more wickets. That was the order of the day on day two at St George’s Park. A total of 18 wickets fell for 282 runs.
It started with Sri Lanka losing six wickets for 97 runs in the first session that saw them skittled for 156 in pursuit of 222.
This gave the Proteas a cushion of 66 runs and should have been enough to set an unassailable target for Sri Lanka to chase. But just like the in the first Test, the Proteas botched the opportunity for total domination.
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The Proteas’ batsmen undid all the hard work done by their seamers which restricted Sri Lanka to an undoubtedly low first innings total.
They lost a wicket before lunch and four after lunch. Hashim Amla and Aiden Markram were the top scorers in that period with 32 and 18 respectively, as the Proteas found themselves reeling at 91-5 by tea.
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The Proteas continued to tumble after tea. Debutant Wiaan Mulder edged a Dhananjaya de Silva to first slip and Suranga Lakmal trapped Keshav Maharaj lbw for six. This saw the Proteas down seven for 113 runs.
Lakmal took his third when he removed Rabada for a duck and De Silva took his third when he removed Steyn for a duck. This saw them nine down for 116 runs.
The Proteas would have had their hearts in their throats when Du Plessis took an unnecessary swing at De Silva instead of taking a single to keep the strike and was stumped only for replays to show it was a no ball.
Du Plessis managed to reach his half-century, but his approach was puzzling. He allowed Duanne Olivier to face 13 balls, where he should have farmed the strike to try and push the lead out of reach.
As a result, Oliver was dismissed for six and the Proteas were all out for 128 with a lead of 197. Lakmal finished with 4-39.
The Proteas knocked Sri Lanka down 34-2 at the start of the 11th over. Rabada dismissed Lahiru Thirimanne (10) and Olivier removed Dimuth Karunaratne (19).
Sri Lanka finished with 60-2 and needing 137 to win, with Kusal Mendis (10) and Oshada Fernando (17) at the crease.
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
