- AB de Villiers made 160* as South Africa marched towards a huge first innings total against Sri Lanka - digicelcricket / Flickr
South Africa pile up a huge total against Sri Lanka's cricket team, but the visitors are solid against an insurmountable target on Day 2 of the third Test.
347/3 is a great score to wake up to if you're South African, especially if you're Jacques Kallis, batting on 159*. Not so much for Sri Lanka, who briefly entertained thoughts of a miraculous Test series win in South Africa, and now had to resign themselves to at least two days of batting on a crumbling pitch against the most potent pace attack in the world.
Double Century #2 for Kallis
But there was still the first innings to get through, and South Africa continued their merciless onslaught by plundering 13 runs off the first over of the day - Alviro Peterson edging the first ball of the day for a boundary (and reaching his half-century the next ball), and Kallis smashing Dammika Prasad for a couple more of his own. Runs continued to gush, 4 of them thanks to a dropped catch by Mahela Jayawardene off Kallis when the batsman was on 171*. Not how Sri Lanka wanted to start the day.
South Africa marched past 400, but Kallis benefitted from another slice of luck when an edge flew between the wicketkeeper and first slip. The ball went for a boundary, which summed up Sri Lanka's day. There was no stopping the man as he reached his second Test double-century, and his 41st Test century overall, and then continued batting on past his previous Test best of 201*. Not bad for a guy who bagged a pair in the last game.
Kallis' Wicket Doesn't Stop South Africa
Just as the hosts had settled into a nice groove, Sri Lanka finally struck, mis-hitting Rangana Herath to long-on. Kallis gone for an epic 224, the partnership broken after 192 runs, and South Africa went to lunch with the game in their pocket at 453/4. The wicket brought no mercy from South Africa, as Jacques Rudolph, under pressure for his place, cashed in on the lifeless and deflated bowling. AB de Villiers, meanwhile, crept on towards his own century, eventually scoring his 13th Test ton and then smacking Chanaka Welegedera for boundaries to take South Africa over 500.
Sri Lanka were reduced to merely spectators as South Africa marched on, de Villiers striking Tillekeratne Dilshan for two consecutive 6s as the 550 approached. The two batsmen shared the third consecutive century partnership for the innings, with Jacques Rudolph making his first Test half-century since 2006. Right after de Villiers reached his 150*, and then rubbed salt in the open wounds by hitting Thissara Perera for 4, 2 and 4, Graeme Smith declared the innings closed at 580/4. This after South Africa scored 87 runs in their last 10 overs, and de Villiers went from 100 to 150 in merely 26 balls.
An Encouraging Start from Sri Lanka
So Sri Lanka trailing by 580 runs with still 3.25 days to bat out. Tillekeratne Dilshan endured a nervy, edgy start before settling down with Lahiru Thirimanne (replacing the out-of-form Tharanga Paranavitana). The two negotiated South Africa's probing bowling until the tea break at 29/0.
Dilshan started things on the right foot for Sri Lanka in the first over of the final session, taking Morne Morkel for a couple of boundaries, then doing the same in Morkel's next over. Thirimanne was content to play second fiddle as Dilshan brought up the 50 opening partnership, SL's first of the tour. Thirimanne was briefly in action, hitting Dale Styen and Morkel for a couple of boundaries before playing all around a Morkel delivery and being cleaned up. Thirimanne gone for 23, South Africa with their first breakthrough at 70/1, but Kumar Sangakkara settled a few Sri Lankan nerves by hitting his first ball for 4.
Dilshan continued on, reaching his 50* from 41 balls, and continuing his aggressive batting to bring up Sri Lanka's 100 in good time. Just as Dilshan was entertaining thoughts of a big knock of his own, Imran Tahir and Graeme Smith combined to take his wicket, Smith pulling off an exceptional catch in the deep to send the Sri Lankan captain back for 78 off 79 balls. A good breakthrough for South Africa at 126/2. Mahela Jayawardene survived some vociferous appeals for LBW off Imran Tahir in the final over of the day, but Kumar Sangakkara had guided Sri Lanka to stumps at 149/2.
Strategic Thinking From Smith
South Africa were definitely in a position to push for a higher score, but credit to Graeme Smith for declaring when he did. Sri Lanka's reply shows the pitch is still very batsman-friendly. Tempting as though it would have been to let his batsman score 600 in the first innings, it was more important for Smith to give his bowlers all the time they needed to bowl Sri Lanka out twice and win the series.
Can Sri Lanka Survive The Test?
A confident response from Sri Lanka, though. The other opener's spot remains in flux, but Dilshan has done his team and himself a world of good with an attacking half-century. With Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera to come, Sri Lanka have an outside shot of still saving this game.
If they can bat all through days 3 and 4, that is.
Sri Lanka vs. South Africa, Third Test, Day 2:
- Sri Lanka 149/2 (Tillekeratne Dilshan 78, Imran Tahir 7-0-15-1)
- trail South Africa 584red (Jacques Kallis 224, Dammika Prasad 30-2-154-2)
- by 4with 8 wickets remaining
Scorecard at Cricinfo
Copyright Michael Perera. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.Michael Perera - The only rule in writing is honesty. If you're honest, the words will write themselves.
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