Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting
NEWLANDS, Cape Town, South Africa, Friday.
When Sri Lanka took strike after dismissing South Africa for 418, their first target was to get past the dreaded followon mark. At the close Sri Lanka are 212 for 5 and well poised to make the home team bat again. When Sri Lanka lost the wickets of Jayasuriya for 17 and Mahanama for 9 with the score at 36, things did not look rosy for the Lankans. But a grand stand of 129 between Atapattu (60) and Aravinda de Silva (77) took them out of the woods. At the wicket were Tillekeratne on two and Kaluwitharana on 13.
There were two incidents on the field yesterday. One was when umpire Dave Orchard of South Africa refused to give century maker Daryll Cullinan caught bat pad by Tillekeratne off Muralidaran when the batsman was on four. All close in fielders were convinced that Cullinan got bat to ball.
Two was when the same umpire warned the Lankans for excessive appealing.
Skipper Ranatunga told umpire Orchard of what he thought of his warning and after the day's play reported umpire Orchard to match referee Howie Gardiner of Zimbabwe.
I predicted that the wicket was a 400 plus one and that is how it stayed with the South African continuing from 298 for 6 and going past the 400 mark. Shaun Pollock and Mark Boucher two formidable batsmen continued to work the bowlers around and on a wicket that was assisting the batsmen seemed at ease.
Shaun like his father Peter has proved himself as a bowler and showed that he is going to be a better batsman than his father by batting confidently and playing some glorious drives on either side of the wicket. Pollock has been in the runs in recent times and if he continues in this form could easily turn out into being one of the best allrounders in the game.
Boucher who has proved a worthy replacement for Richardson has also proved to be quite a competent batsman. After Pollock and Boucher had added 95 runs for the seventh wicket a misunderstanding brought about the run out of Boucher for 33.
With the dismissal of Boucher the end was not long in coming. Donald went last ball before lunch bowled by Muralidaran. Adams went stumped by Kaluwitharna off Muralidaran and Pollock who was striving for his maiden test century went lbw to Wickremasinghe 8 runs short of a dream hundred.
The Sri Lankan bowlers especially Muralidaran and Wickremasinghe bowled their hearts out on a wicket that was not giving them any assistance. Muralidaran who has to shoulder the bowling responsibility bowled economically as he usually does and sent down a marathon spell of 45 overs for 135 runs and 4 wickets.
Wickremasinghe who is now beginning to show his true potential bowled a tidy line and his 3 for 75 was good reward. Vaas was not his usual self and he should have had more than the two wickets for 75.
Incidentally when coloured cricketer Mkhaya Ntini walked in he was given a rousing ovation by a near 10 thousand crowd, who were acknowledging the fact that for South Africa to be a truly representative side they need to have more coloured players.
Day 3: Sri Lankans will have to do containing job to delay declaration
Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting
NEWLANDS, Cape Town, March 21 - AFTER dismissing Sri Lanka for 306 and gaining a lead of 112, the South Africans further tightened their grip on the game by making 155 for 4 and increasing their overall lead to 267 by the close on the third-day here, today.
The South Africans owe this position to first innings century maker Darryl Cullinan who again batted with authority to make 68. He was involved in a third wicket stand of 116 with Jacques Kallis 49.
When the game continues coming the Sri Lankans will have to do a containing job so as to delay an early declaration by Cronje and an impossible target to chase.
The Lankan bowling is depleted with the injury to Vaas and Muralitheran will have to shoulder the responsibility.
When the Lankans resumed this morning, they ran into a barrage of short pitched bowling by Donald and Pollock. Not only Tillekeratne and Kaluwitharana but tailenders Vaas, Wickremasinghe, Muralitharan and Pushpakumara were not spared.
The bowling bordered on the intimidatory.
But what was admirable was that the batsmen although they were bruised and battered were UNBOWED. And that is one thing the Lankans could be proud of.
Kaluwitharana went first lbw to Pollock who also had the wickets of Tillekeratne, Wickremasinghe and Vaas and Pushpakumara fell to Donald. Lanka did well to get past the 300-mark and were finally out for 306.
Conceding a lead of 112, the Lankans hit back with a vengeance when Chaminda Vaas bowling with a lot of discomfort sent back openers Bacher for no score and Kirsten for 15 with the total on 18. It was a brace effort by Vaas who later had to leave the field with a recurring ankle injury. He came back later after treatment to his ankle.
Day 5: Sri Lanka undone by poor umpiring
Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting
NEWLANDS, CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Monday
The Sri Lankans mugged by 70 runs by South Africa were undone by some inconsistent umpiring in the First of Two tests which ended 28 minutes before tea on the final day here today.
When play began the Lankans knew that if their game plan worked then they were still in with a chance. Skipper Ranatunga ordered the heavy roller to further deaden the wicket.
The wicket even for a fifth day one played remarkably well with the ball coming on to the bat. It had a bit in it for the fast bowler, the spinner and the batsmen. Atapattu and Ranatunga negotiated the crucial first hour without loss and with good scoring rate kept their chances alive.
Atapattu once again showed good temperament and sound technique. He was always behind the line and played some superb cover drives which sped to the boundary. It was his second 50 of the match. Skipper Ranatunga kept Atapattu company and were not letting the bowlers to dictate.
After adding 73 for the 4th wicket Atapattu tried to on drive a ball from Adams which spun a hit and dolled a return catch to be out for 71 with the score on 171. Four runs later Ranatunga went when he snicked a catch to Kirsten in the slips for 43.
Tillekeratne and Kaluwitharana then teamed up to add 59 for the 6th wicket. Kaluwitharana played a merry innings and showed no respect to Donald and Pollock. Tillekaratne played a gutty innings to make 13. Kaluwitharana went for 45 and then Vaas was ruled out caught behind which decision he did not seem to like and stayed at the wicket before reluctantly walking back.
Wickremasinghe came in and what an innings he played. He did not cringe against the short pitched blitz by Donald and Pollock but stood up gamely and flayed them to all parts of the field. He lofted a huge six off Pollock who seemed to mouth some unkind words to Wickremasinghe which forced umpire Orchard to speak to Pollock.
After Muralidaran was run out, Wickremasinghe was bowled by Ntini to end the Lankans victory push. That the Sri Lankans lost it was no disgrace.
That they took the South Africans to the final day is great credit. When the Lankans arrived they were tagged as no hopes in tests but were going to be a force to be reckoned with in the triangular. But they proved their critics wrong with this display.
When play ended on Sunday, journalists, TV and radio commentators and everyone else had nothing but sympathy for the manner in which Sanath Jayasuriya was ruled out LBW. Donald was bowling round the wicket and delivering wide of the crese.
That delivery appeared to be going down the leg side. Umpire Dunne took a while to raise his finger that showed that he too was in some doubt.
Need we then tell Dunne where the benefit of the doubt should go.
'No way that he could have been out', said former South African wicket keeper Dave Richardson. 'Done by Dunne' was what former captain Kepler Wessels said.
The latest on Chaminda Vaas is that he will see a surgeon in Pretoria before deciding to have an operation on his troublesome right ankle. At the moment he is being pumped with pain killing injections: