Sri Lanka’s Test batting hits new low – shot out for 43

Marco Jansen takes a Test career best 7/13 to rout Sri Lanka for their lowest total 43

Dinesh Chandimal is done in by Marco Jansen

Bavuma (left) stands firm as Jansen supports in South Africa’s innings

 Prabath Jayasuriya becomes the fastest Sri Lankan bowler to 100 Test wickets

• Batsmen all at sea against 6ft 7½in tall Marco Jansen  
• South Africa in the box seat lead overall by 281 after two days

Sri Lanka’s batting hit a new low when they were shot out for their lowest ever total in Test history – 43 in their first innings of the first cricket Test against South Africa at Kingsmead, Durban yesterday.

Sri Lanka were all out in 83 balls (13.5 overs) which is the second least balls a team has got bowled out after South Africa were bowled out for 30 in 74 balls (12.3 overs) by England at Edgbaston in 1924.

After their fast bowlers had done a magnificent job by dismissing South Africa for 191, Sri Lanka’s batting crumbled like ninepins to the bowling of 6ft 7½ ins tall left-arm fast bowler Marco Jansen who went on to take a career best 7/13 off 6.5 overs – easily the best bowling figures by a South African this century.

Jansen, bowling from one end, was relentless with his angles, lengths and extra bounce to leave the Sri Lankan batters in absolute confusion. There was plenty on offer for the new ball bowling pair of Kagiso Rabada and Jansen who made the most of the conditions.

There were a couple of loose strokes from the Lankan batters but in fairness it was a classic new-ball display from the Proteas. Five of the batsmen failed to trouble the scorers.

The Lankan pace bowlers had very little time to recover as their batsmen were all back in the pavilion in a matter of 13.5 overs. The total of 43 surpassed Sri Lanka’s previous lowest score in Test cricket – 71 against Pakistan at Kandy in 1994.

With a massive first innings lead of 149, South Africa stretched it to 281 by the close ending the second day on 132-3.

Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya became the second-fastest bowler ever and the fastest Sri Lankan to get to 100 Test wickets when he dismissed Tony de Zorzi during South Africa’s second innings. 

Jayasuriya’s 100th wicket came in just 17 Test matches, as he equalled the record of Sydney Barnes, Clarrie Grimmett, Yasir Shah and Charles Turner, who reached the milestone in the same number of games. England’s George Lohmann holds the record for being the quickest to 100 Test wickets, as he completed the century of wickets in just 16 games.

Earlier in the day under bright sunshine compared to the first day’s overcast skies Sri Lanka did extremely well to bowl out South Africa for 191 at the end of an extended first session.

Sri Lanka came in needing the six remaining South African wickets, and they managed to take it at the cost of 111 runs. Temba Bavuma played a lone hand to score his 22nd Test fifty batting for 221 minutes and facing 117 balls for a top score of 70 that comprised 9 fours and a six. Seven weeks out of the game with an injury Bavuma came in at a tough situation and was able to absorb the pressure and get South Africa to a decent total after they were 54-4 at one stage.

Keshav Maharaj struck some lofty blows and Jansen and Rabada helped move the scoreboard along as well. The wickets were shared primarily between the three seamers – Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara with Jayasuriya chipping in with two scalps.