SOUTH AFRICA BOX SEAT 281 LEAD
By Srian Obeyesekere
South Africa took a box seat grip of the first test against Sri Lanka by the second day yesterday leading by 281 runs with seven second innings wickets intact after left-arn six footer Marco Jansen led a lethal pace attack rip off with a terrific record breaking 7 wickets for 13 runs as the visitors were shot out for 42 on a tricky seaming Kingsmead pitch difficult for batting in what was their lowest test score and lowest against South Africa and second shortest in number of overs of 13.5.
However, the Lankan top order of batsmen Pathum Nissanka, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva were guilty of throwing their wickets by flashing at leavanle deliveries where the adage ‘caution the better part of valour’ did not find favour with them in the bad circumstances.
Jansen’s second best highest in an innings haul by a South African came since Allan Donald’s eight wickets in 1995 with Geoffrey Lawrence in 1961 heading a list of three bowlers with 8-wicket hauls of four before him, George Bissett 7 wickets in 1928 before Jansen making up that table of best feat South African fast bowlers.
Kagiso Rabada triggered the slide luting Dimuth Karunatratne to edge a length ball outside off. to David Bedingham at first slip. Four balls later, Nissanka was guilty of reaching to a wide-ish ball to paying the price at third slip.
Dinesh Chandimal went next bowled by Jansen hrough the gate by an inapt defensive stroke that left a gap between bat and pad. Mathews paid the price of throwing his bat at a ball angling away, and edging to Bedingham.
Jansen’s proceeded to bowling Dhananjaya de Silva beaten by the pace attempting to drive. Jansen soon after had Prabath Jayasuriya taken in the slips.by Stubb’s. In-between Coetzee took the eighth wicket with Jansen’s double strike cleaning up the Lankan in innings.
South Africa proceeded to tighten their grip finishing the day on an impregnable 132 for 3 wickets on a top score of 47 by Auden Markram with Temba Bavuma following up a valiant first iñnings cornerstone 70 to be unbeaten on 24 after the hosts had ridden a shaky first innings 117 for 7 to 191 on three lower order partnershios.
