SA bowlers pick up slack left by batsmen

South Africa seized the advantage with the ball after letting it slip with the bat in the first test against Sri Lanka at St George’s Park on Tuesday.

The visitors reached lunch on 37/3 in reply to South Africa’s first innings of 286.

Seven wickets fell for the addition of 56 runs in the 21.5 overs bowled in the morning session‚ a pattern of play perhaps fuelled by intense humidity and the easterly breeze bringing moisture from the sea.

South Africa resumed on 267/6 and added just 14 runs before they were dismissed 53 balls into the day’s play with seamer Suranga Lakmal completing a haul of 5/63‚ his maiden five-wicket effort in his 32nd test.

The slide started in the day’s fifth over when Nuwan Pradeep had Vernon Philander caught at deep square leg.

• SA batsmen lose way on the day the music diedIt was the day the music died‚ but rumours of South Africa’s domination of Sri Lanka‚ rife before the test series‚ turned out to be greatly exaggerated at St George’s Park on Monday. 

South Africa’s hopes of posting a more respectable total were snuffed out when Pradeep yorked Quinton de Kock for 37 to end the innings.

But Sri Lanka’s satisfaction with their bowling performance was quelled when their batsmen slumped to 22/3 after eight overs.

Dimuth Karunaratne drove expansively at Kyle Abbott and dragged the ball onto his leg stump before Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis were caught behind - both after playing rash strokes - off Philander and Abbott.

• Mostly good in SA cricket’s hood in 2016If South Africa had known‚ at the end of 2015‚ that 2016 would pan out like it did they would have been hopeful that the light at the end of the tunnel was not an oncoming train. 

Opener Kaushal Silva showed more discipline and was still there at lunch on 12 with captain Angelo Mathews five not out.

Abbott took 2/13 from six overs‚ and Philander 1/9 from five.

TMG Digital/TMG Sport