Sublime South Africa smash Sri Lanka to sweep series
South Africa took 16 Sri Lanka wickets in a little over two sessions to secure a ruthless victory by an innings and 118 runs in the third and final test at the Wanderers on Saturday.
After posting 426 in their first innings on Friday, South Africa bowled Sri Lanka out for 131 before lunch on day three, before dismissing the out-gunned sub-continent side again for 177 to complete a 3-0 series sweep.
All of the home seamers claimed wickets on a pitch that had plenty of steep bounce and more than enough lateral movement to leave the Sri Lanka batsmen flailing.
Left-arm fast bowler Wayne Parnell, who took six wickets for 89 runs over the two innings, was perhaps the pick, while Kagiso Rabada (5-94) was unlucky not to pick up more with some hostile spells.
Debutant seamer Duanne Olivier (5-57) will be pleased with his return in helpful conditions, while Vernon Philander (4-63) also pitched in.
“Once again it was a complete performance,” South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said at the post-match presentation. “It started with the bat on a tough wicket and our bowlers were once again spectacular.
“We wanted to make sure we step up in this game and dominate and do so 3-0… right through the series Sri Lanka didn’t have a session where they were controlling us.
“Consistency in test cricket is very hard, so I am proud with how the boys played.”
South Africa made short work of wrapping up the tourists’ first innings after Sri Lanka resumed the day on 80 for four.
Rabada grabbed the key wicket of Sri Lanka captain Angelo Matthews (19) as wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock produced a magnificent diving catch in front of first slip.
Olivier then claimed his first test wicket when Herath top-edged a vicious bouncer and the home side then tore through the tail.
Du Plessis enforced the follow-on and Sri Lanka were quickly on the back foot again as Rabada accounted for opener Kaushal Silva for a first-ball duck.
The impressive Olivier snapped up two more quick wickets, with Du Plessis leaping to an almost impossible height at second slip to pluck the ball out of the air as Mathews was dismissed for 10.
The game was up for Sri Lanka when Rabada rattled the stumps of opener Dimuth Karunaratne (50), who had a provided lone resistance.
“Congratulations to South Africa, they outplayed us in every department,” Mathews said.
“We kept repeating the same mistakes. We knew we would not get slow, turning wickets in South Africa and that we would have to play really good cricket, but unfortunately we haven’t.”
(Reuters)
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Poor Sri Lankans couldn’t face South Africa’s ‘”Çhin Music’! Montha ago they were heroes in Zimbabwe.
Don’t worry guys, you are bound to shine in the forthcoming T20 in Australia.
Well Mr Amarakoon. To avoid further defeat it is a good idea to to shoot the whole Cricket team and berry this stupid boring game for ever.
this is to invite the sri lankan cricket board , inviting your national cricket team for a tour of softball cricket in our village in sl, and more over the national eleven well capable of playing softball rather than the hard red ball.
we are the host, so not to worry about food and accommodation those will be provided. we willbe arranging local lodges with innovative amenities like fan , crt tv with some cartoon channels like prominent Dora, tom and jerry, hava hari hava the most ect . so ur national players need to pop out side if they feel bore , food wise we have arranged a menu that suits the most for the national players like bun and plain tea for the break fast ( that will boost the professional’s metabolism early and why not local fish curry for lunch and idhiyappa pol sambol for our national players to enjoy the national foods.
so kindly calender some dates and allocate forthe wonderfull matches between our local tanisball team and obviously with great pleasure.
thanks for the assistance.
Respected Arumugam, T-20 will have the same fate. We do not have good hitters in the team except Thisara.
Dude Ranjith, Shoot our Cricketers! Why waste Bullets? Instead it is better to bury the Cricket team.
Mr Ashik, Not softball Cricket. It is better to teach the Elle or Chuk-gudu. If they have self respect they should resign from the National team.