South Africa sweep Sri Lanka in tests, top WTC table

GQEBERHA: South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 109 runs on Monday, securing a 2-0 sweep in the test series, which puts them at the top of the World Test Championship table.

South Africa’s win puts them at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) table, with 63.33 per cent of points won, as they have secured 76 out of a possible 120 from the 10 matches they have played. Australia is currently second with 60.71 per cent.

A guaranteed spot in the WTC final is within hands reach for the Proteas. They will likely qualify with one win against Pakistan in their two-match test series beginning on December 26. With two wins in December, they would likely top the table.

THE GAME

South Africa scored 358 runs in their first innings, the majority of which were made by Ryan Rickelton and Kyle Verreynne. Rickelton scored his maiden test century, making 101 runs off 250 deliveries, hitting 11 fours in the process. Verreynne score was a little higher, and he did it on much better efficiency, making 105 runs off just 133 deliveries. He smashed 12 fours and three sixes on his way to making his third ever test 100. South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma had the third highest score with 78 runs. Lahiru Kumara was the star bowler for Sri Lanka, taking four wickets in the innings, including the dismissal of Rickelton.

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Sri Lanka couldn’t quite reach South Africa’s score, but they weren’t far behind by the time their last wicket fell. Pathum Nissanka fell eleven runs short of a century, as he scored 89 runs, the highest for Sri Lanka in the entire contest. Diniesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews were both dismissed six runs short of a half century, while Kamindu Mendis was sent off only two runs off his fifth test 50. South Africa’s Dane Paterson took an incredible five wickets, including three in the 89th over that devastated the Lions.  

South Africa’s Aiden Markham and Bavuma would be the standouts of the Proteas second innings, scoring a half century each. Markham scored 55 runs off 75 deliveries before he was dismissed by Vishwa Fernando, while Bavuma made 66 off 116 before being bowled by Prabath Jayasuriya. Stubbs almost had a half century of his own, but was run out in the 61st over due to a mix up while running between the wickets. The Proteas managed to make 313 runs, a score that would’ve been much worse if not for Jayasuriya’s five-fer.

Marco Jansen was the one to end the match as Sri Lanka’s final wicket fell on Monday, but it was South African fast bowler Keshav Maharaj that brought the Lions to their knees first. Maharaj bowled Angelo Mathews in the 32nd over, and found the edge of Mendis’ bat before Verreynne took a catch in the 34th.  Kusal Mendis would be sent off just four runs short of a half century in the 59th, as Maharaj’s delivery found a thick outside edge before landing in the hands of Markram at slip. Maharaj would then tear through the lower order, dismissing Jayasuriya for nine and Vishwa for five runs in the 65th and 69th over respectively. Two balls after Vishwa fell, Jansen would dismiss Lahiru Kumara as his delivery found the top edge of the Sri Lankan’s bat before Rickelton took the catch at short mid-wicket.

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