Persistent rains nullify Sri Lanka’s advantage on opening day of the first test in Durban as visitor’s pacers make merry.
Persistent rains allows only 20.4 overs on opening day as Sri Lanka gain the early advantage in the opening exchanges of Day 1 in Durban.
Before his seamers dismissed four South Africa batters, Sri Lanka’s skipper inserted the opposition. It made for an almost ideal first Test morning under the gloomy Durban sky.
However, rain came just before midday on the first day. Only 20.4 overs practicable. Until play was cancelled at about 3 p.m., it remained in place over Kingsmead.
With their ability to whizz the ball around on a slightly damp pitch, Vishwa and Asitha Fernando had spearheaded Sri Lanka’s efforts, regularly beating and occasionally collecting the outside edges of South African bats.
The left-arm fast Vishwa was particularly well-behaved and found both away movement off the deck and a considerable inswing in the air from over the wicket. Shortly after Asitha had Aiden Markram held in the cordon, he removed Tony de Zorzi, who was caught by a diving Kamindu Mendis at second slip. Both bowlers struck in their second over of the day.
Together, Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs scored 32 runs, many of which came off the outside edge through deep third, as they clawed their way to the drinks break. However, the fastest bowler in Sri Lanka, Lahiru Kumara, made up for a mishandled first over by forcing Stubbs to fend one to third slip. The most spectacular dismissal of a brief day’s play came shortly after, when he slipped a ball past David Bedingham’s defences to send his off-stump cartwheeling.
Two mistakes would have prevented Sri Lanka from having an even better morning. Dimuth Karunaratne should have held Bavuma for one, but he missed the low chance at second slip. Bavuma finished the day on 28, having survived 47 balls. That was off Vishwa’s bowling. Bavuma then edged a bouncer he was attempting to hook just before rain arrived, cutting the practice short by four minutes. However, it was determined that Kumara had slightly overstepped.
But among the batters from South Africa, Bavuma was arguably the most cautious. Although his outside edge was often beaten, he did not seem particularly keen to feel bat on ball as Sri Lanka’s opening bowlers hammered away in the channel, covering the line of his stumps nicely. When the rain started, he was accompanied by Kyle Verreyne, who was both a batsman and wicketkeeper.
Despite taking two wickets, Kumara’s four overs cost 35 runs. Vishwa went at less than three an over, as did Asitha.