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Fiery spells from
Ntini and Steyn puts SA in the lead |
August 05, 2006
 Hostile
spells from Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn have
got the Proteas in an unexpected lead for the
underdogs as Sri Lanka fell 40 runs short of
South Africa's 361. The lead for South Africa
could have been a lot more and they could have
been in the driver's seat by now but for a
spirited eight wicket partnership of 117 between
all rounders - Farveez Maharoof (56) and
Chaminda Vaas (64). We have a match on with
South Africa negotiating the second day's play
at 6/0 in the two overs required to face. The
onus is now on the South African batsmen to show
the determination to battle it out in the middle
and get the runs on the board which should be
tough for any team chasing in the fourth innings
of a Test Match. The wicket is still a good one
for the strokemakers with the ball coming on
nicely to the bat and not much of a turn for the
spinners.
Having bowled out South Africa for 361 on Day 1,
Sri Lanka started off in a shaky manner losing
Upul Tharanga and last match hero, Kumar
Sangakkara within the first hour. Both the left
handers were dismissed by Ntini with Tharanga
(2) falling to a top edge in his attempted pull
and Sangakkara's (14) uppish flick was taken by
Hashim Amla at short mid wicket. Sanath
Jayasuriya and Skipper Mahela Jayawardene, fresh
from his 374 did the repair job but Dale Steyn
came back after an initial caning to induce a
cut shot from Mahela Jayawardene (13) to find
the outside edge. Tillakaratne Dilshan decided
very late to leave a delivery from Ntini on its
own and in the process got an inside edge onto
his stumps. Even Jayasuriya's resistance came to
an end with the veteran falling three runs short
of a half century as he was forced to edge an
away going seaming delivery from Makhaya. The
next pair of Chamara Kapugedera and Prasanna
Jayawardene ensured that the homeside went to
lunch with those five wickets down. Kapugedera
had begun his innings in an aggressive note,
hooking the third ball he faced from Ntini into
the fine leg stands for a mighty six. We were in
for an exciting fightback with some more
fireworks expected from the teenage sensation
Chamara Kapugedera.
Both Chamara Kapugedera and the wicket keeper
Prasanna Jayawardene grabbed the opportunity to
become heroes trying to pull their side out of
desperate trouble. Kapugedera raced off to his
second Test Match fifty in 64 balls and he got
his second six off the innings through a
handsome step down and inside out lofted drive
off Nicky Boje. But the left arm spinner had the
last laugh in his next over as Chamara
Kapugedera (63) could not control his adrenalin
flow and got cleaned up playing a predetermined
slog sweep. Sri Lanka at this stage were 191 for
6 in the 44th over and they slipped down to 191
for 7 in the very next over with Dale Steyn
producing a superb delivery that held its line
to knock Prasanna's stumps. Prasanna Jayawardene
ended up with a busy 49-ball 42, which had six
fours and a six coming from a pull shot off the
hostile Makhaya Ntini. South Africa were in for
a great chance of grabbing a big first innings
lead, but their plans were spoilt by Chaminda
Vaas and Farveez Maharoof who batted with lots
of comfort as the ball got older and softer. The
eight-wicket partnership was growing stronger
and stronger and the two continued even after
drinks of the final session. Vaas, who was the
more aggressive of the two all rounders with the
bat, registered his 11th Test Match fifty having
faced 87 balls. It could have been a different
story had Dilhara Fernando played instead of the
all rounder Chaminda Vaas. Farveez Maharoof as
well got to a half century, it was his 3rd in
his career, and this one had taken quite some
time, in 106 balls to be precise. It was only
the second new ball that could rescue South
Africa and Dale Steyn removed Maharoof and Vaas
in the space of two overs and then Muralitharan,
the last man wasting no time in going for the
slog and getting caught at mid on. It was all
red hot pace from Dale Steyn to remove the well
set Maharoof and Vaas with Maharoof getting
bowled to a quick and full delivery and Vaas
gloving one uncomfortably in his pull to
Boucher. Sri Lanka like South Africa got bowled
inside the 90 overs, giving a lead of just 40 to
the visitors. Dale Steyn finished with 5 for 82
in just over 13 overs, which is a good strike
rate indeed, and Makhaya Ntini took 4 for 84 in
his 21 overs.
From 86 for 5 to 321 all out, Sri Lanka have
fought back incredibly well with their pride at
stake. South Africa must be disappointed with
their bowlers not doing the finishing job well
enough, but they shouldn't be thinking too much
about it and concentrate on batting for atleast
the whole of Day 3. South Africa are in a great
position to level this 2-Tests Series 1-1 and
Ashwell Prince and the other batsmen need to
show the hunger for the big runs to give a stiff
target for the Sri Lankans.
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