SA vs SL, Test 1: South Africa in control after Sri Lanka crashes to 42 all out on Day 2

Captain Temba Bavuma top-scored with 70 for South Africa. The only other home batsman to top 20 was Keshav Maharaj, batting at number 10, who made a quick 24.

South Africa’s Marco Jansen (3rd L) celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya (unseen) during the second day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka at the Kingsmead stadium in Durban on November 28, 2024. | Photo Credit: AFP

Marco Jansen bowled South Africa into a dominant position as Sri Lanka crashed to 42 all out, its lowest total in Test cricket, on the second day of the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Thursday.

The left-arm fast bowler took seven for 13 as Sri Lanka was bowled out in 13.5 overs – the second-shortest completed Test innings in history.

It gave South Africa a first-innings lead of 149 after it had been dismissed for a modest 191 in its first innings.

The host stretched its lead to 281 runs when it scored 132 for three in its second innings.

It was an extraordinary performance by the 24-year-old Jansen, at 2.06 metres one of the tallest players in international cricket.

Having played only in eight T20 matches since returning from a three-month “conditioning break”, Jansen initially struggled to find his rhythm with a red ball in hand, sending down a wide and a no-ball before opening batsman Pathum Nissanka had to put bat on ball.

Kagiso Rabada made the breakthrough for South Africa when he had Dimuth Karunaratne caught at first slip before Jansen, in his second over, bowled a delivery close enough to Nissanka to induce an edge to third slip.

It sparked an inspired spell. On a pitch which helped seam bowlers throughout, Jansen’s pace and bounce, allied with the ability to make the ball swing in as a variation to his natural angle across right-handed batsmen, proved devastating.

The left-handed Kamindu Mendis, coming into his ninth Test match with a batting average of 91.27, stroked three fours and made the top score of 13 for Lanka before he edged a wild drive against Gerald Coetzee to provide David Bedingham with his third catch of the innings at first slip.

Good work undone by collapse

Sri Lanka’s collapse negated the efforts of its bowlers, who had done well to dismiss South Africa in an extended morning’s play.

Captain Temba Bavuma top-scored with 70 for South Africa. The only other home batsman to top 20 was Keshav Maharaj, batting at number 10, who made a quick 24.

Opening bowlers Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando took three and two wickets respectively but the major damage was done by fast bowler Lahiru Kumara, whose figures of three for 70 did not do justice to an aggressive performance.

Kumara made the first breakthrough on Thursday, trapping Kyle Verreynne leg before wicket for nine after South Africa added just three runs to their overnight total of 80 for four.

Kumara also forced all-rounder Wiaan Mulder to retire hurt with a fractured right middle finger.

Mulder was ruled out of bowling or fielding for the rest of the match – although he returned at the fall of the ninth wicket to help Kagiso Rabada add 26 runs for the last wicket.

Surprisingly, he batted at number three in the second innings, scoring 15 in what seems certain to be his last involvement in the match.

Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya provided a highlight for Sri Lanka when he dismissed Tony de Zorzi for 17 in the second innings. It was his 100th wicket in his 17th Test, the joint second-fewest in history to reach the milestone.

In contrast to Wednesday when rain restricted play to 20.4 overs, there was bright sunshine on Thursday with a strong breeze blowing across the ground.