Sri Lanka top order struggle in Port Elizabeth Test

Sri Lanka lost three top order batsmen cheaply after bowling out South Africa for 286 on the second day of the first Test at St George’s Park on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka were 37 for three at lunch, 249 runs behind South Africa’s first innings total.

Sri Lankan fast bowler Suranga Lakmal took his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket, finishing with five for 63, as South Africa lost their last four wickets for 19 runs at the start of play.

Any sense of achievement the Sri Lankans might have felt was quickly swept away as South African opening bowlers Vernon Philander and Kyle Abbott ripped into their batting. Both gained appreciable movement through the air and off the pitch.

Dimuth Karunaratne edged an attempted drive against Abbott into his stumps, Kusal Perera edged a wild slash against Philander to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock and Kusal Mendis was caught behind off an Abbott away swinger.

South Africa added only 19 runs in 8.5 overs on Tuesday as they were bowled out for the lowest first innings Test total at St George’s Park in nine years.

Lakmal, 29, finished with five for 63. His best in 31 previous Tests was four for 78 against Pakistan in Dubai in January 2014.

Philander was caught at deep square leg when he top-edged a pull against Nuwan Pradeep in the fifth over of the morning after South Africa had resumed at 267 for six. Keshav Maharaj edged an away swinger to wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal to give Lakmal his fifth wicket and Kyle Abbott was run out after a mix-up with De Kock.

De Kock was last man out for 37, trying to keep the strike and playing across the line of a yorker from Pradeep.

Source: AFP