Herath bags six as SL secure 2-0 series win

Cricket - Sri Lanka v South Africa -Second Test Match - Colombo, Sri Lanka - July 23, 2018 - Sri Lankan cricket team pose for photographs after they won the test series - REUTERS

By Madushka Balasuriya

Despite Theunis De Bruyn and Temba Bavuma proving that, yes, it is in fact not impossible for their batsmen to score runs in a Test match in Sri Lanka, South Africa eventually succumbed to the home side’s bevy of spinners and fell to only their third away series defeat in 12 years.

The eventual end of series statistics were telling, with all 20 South African wickets in the second Test and 37 of their 40 wickets in the series falling to spinners; Sri Lanka’s lone seamer Suranga Lakmal accounted for the remaining three scalps - all in the first Test in Galle - and was only required to bowl a measly 6.3 overs over the course of the two Tests. 

Meanwhile, Rangana Herath ended the innings in what is likely his penultimate series, with figures of 6/98 - seven wickets in the entire Test - though it was Dimuth Karunaratne, for his pair of fifties, that took home the Man of the Match accolade. Karunaratne was also named Man of the Series following his century in Galle.

However, it was not all bad news for the visitors, who will take hope from their much improved showing with the bat in the fourth innings at the SSC. Having been dismissed for 124 in the first innings and with Sri Lanka refusing to enforce the follow-on and piling on a further 275 runs to set a near-impossible target of 490, South Africa went about their final innings with a lot more purpose.

They were also aided by a combination of no-balls and missed chances in the field, as several

South African batsmen were afforded longer stays at the crease than they had been accustomed to all series. But, despite a few formative embers of partnerships, it was De Bruyn and Bavuma who highlighted what exactly was possible with genuine application at the crease.  De Bruyn’s 232 balls faced in his 257-minute stay were the most faced by any batsman over the course of both Tests, while the pair’s 123-run stand was the visitors’ highest in the series and the highest by a South African pair in the fourth innings of a Test in Asia.

That it came at a point when the game was well beyond the point of rescue, let alone victory, will be a stinging reminder to South Africa of what could have been over the last two weeks.

While the pair did ride their fortune on occasion, with several balls beating the bat - Bavuma survived a review for an edge, and De Bruyn was dropped a leg gully - by and large they looked to be positive. Having batted through most of the session on the fourth morning, they might have been looking to savour a rare session victory over the lunch break; both players had notched up fifty plus scores and were looking relatively comfortable - at least as comfortable as you could on a pitch that would spit out the odd delivery from the rough.

But, with the lunch break around the corner, Herath eventually got his man; Bavuma’s forward defensive prod produced an edge which Niroshan Dickwella gleefully accepted, ending his innings on a well-made 63 off 98 balls.

Next man in, Quinton De Kock looked to take the initiative with a reverse sweep to get his innings underway, but a short while later, Herath had one turn back in sharply to the left-hander and trap him in front of the stumps. The South African keeper reviewed the decision, but DRS showed the ball nicking the stumps.

Lunch was called straight after that, and what had been an almost faultless session for the visitors had just as swiftly turned in Sri Lanka’s favour; and it didn’t take long after lunch for Sri Lanka to mop up the tail.

However, South Africa did have one more moment to savour as De Bruyn brought up his century, a faint spark in the toughest of series, but shortly after, his marathon sojourn would end, misreading a straighter one from Herath, leaving it only to hear his off-stump rocked back.

Kagiso Rabada provided some late entertainment, notably with a lusty six down the ground, but Dilruwan Perera eventually got him to edge one to Angelo Mathews at slip. 

Dale Steyn, who remained wicket-less in the Test, followed shortly after, top-edging a slog to long-on off Herath, and bringing forth a comprehensive series win for Sri Lanka.