The Proteas have started their tour in a dominant fashion by bundling out Sri Lanka for 287 runs in the first innings of the first Test, in Galle. The visitors are now trailing by 283 runs after finishing day-1 on a high note.

Despite having a wobble in the batting line-up, Sri Lanka managed to post a decent total on the scoreboard in the first innings, as the South African bowlers failed to beat Dimuth Karunaratne in persistence. The opening batsman ended up carrying the bat through the innings and played an unbeaten knock of 158 runs, while the rest of the batters couldn’t even manage to score in excess of 30.

Karunaratne has become the only fourth batsman for Sri Lanka to have carried the bat through a completed innings, after Sidath Wettimuny, Marvan Atapattu, and Russell Arnold.

The hapless hosts were eight down at 176 when the skipper Suranga Lakmal came in to bat. He shared a crucial 48-run partnership with the centurion, lifting the score past 200 runs. Kagiso Rabada completed his four-fer by dislodging Lakmal before Karunaratne stitched a 63-run stand – the highest in the Lankan innings – with Lakshan Sandkan.

Sandakan’s dismissal off Tabraiz Shamsi wrapped up the innings for the hosting side. Shamsi scalped a total of 3 wickets while Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander also took one wicket each. Steyn is now just a wicket shy of joining Shaun Pollock as the leading wicket-taker for the Proteas in Tests.

Following a substandard batting display, Sri Lanka made the best possible use of the remaining four overs of the day and removed Aiden Markram before he could open his account. Rangana Herath now has an important wicket to his name which can inspire his team to pose a threat for the opposition batsmen.

The spin trio of Herath, Sandakan, and Dilruwan Perera will have a vital role to play on the second day. South Africa, on the other hand, will try to recover from the early blow and gain a good lead against the home side.

 

Scores:

SL – 287/10