The Sri Lankan pace attack enjoyed perfect conditions on the first morning of the test series, reducing South Africa to 80 for four wickets in 20.4 overs at lunch at an overcast Kingsmead in Durban on Wednesday.
Returning Proteas’ skipper Temba Bavuma – out since October with an elbow injury – tossed the coin and Sri Lankan skipper Dhananjaya de Silva called correctly, a particularly valuable service for his country on a morning when thick cloud covered a gloomy stadium, making his decision to field almost a formality.
Indeed, South Africa’s position could have been even worse but for two mistakes from the Sri Lankans. Temba Bavuma, who survived the session unscathed on 28, was dropped at slip by Dimuth Karunaratne off Vishwa Fernando when he had scored one. Then, just before the break, he was reprieved again. Bavuma, on 20, gloved a hook off paceman Lahiru Kumara to the wicketkeeper, but, fortunately for the South African captain, the delivery was deemed to be a no-ball.
The Proteas enjoyed a deceptively bright start, with Aiden Markram square-cutting and driving Asitha Fernando for consecutive boundaries. But in the third over, Markram poked at a delivery just outside his off-stump, edging a comfortable catch to Angelo Mathews in the slips.
Two balls later Vishwa Fernando induced another edge, this time from Tony de Zorzi. The ball travelled low to Dimuth Karunaratne at second slip who took a fine catch sprawling to his right.
The conditions were perfect for swing and seam movement and the South African batters lived precariously. Tristan Stubbs, always looking for the aggressive option, helped to take 17 runs off Lahiru Kumara’s opening over, but the paceman got his revenge in his next over as Stubbs edged an away-swinging delivery to Karunaratne in the slips. The ball burst through his hands but, fortunately for him, the ball came to rest in his lap.
David Bedingham opened his account with a square drive for four, but was then beaten by a delivery from Kumara that seamed back at him, taking an inside edge before ripping out his off-stump.
Kyle Verreynne joined his captain and the pair had added 26 before a light drizzle took the players off the field.
The three principal Sri Lankan seamers shared the wickets with Kumara the most successful as well as the most expensive with 2/35 in four overs while Asitha and Vishwa Fernando claimed a wicket each.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (capt.), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada
SRI LANKA: Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Kusal Mendis (wk), Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando
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