Injury nightmare amidst heavy defeat for Lankans

Ruan van der Merwe in Centurion

The scorecard suggests that Sri Lanka lost the first Test against the Proteas by an innings and 45 runs but there was lot of sympathy for them from the hosts after they were hampered by a series of injuries. The game ended inside four days and a session to spare but more worryingly several players will be out of action for the next Test match at the Wanderers.

Dhananjaya de Silva, Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara are all out of second Test and batsman Dinesh Chandimal remains doubtful too after was troubled by a groin strain.

Sri Lanka resumed on 65 for two and needed the overnight pair of Chandimal and Kusal Perera to bat deep. But the Proteas found the breakthrough in the eighth over of the morning.

All the talk before the series was the serious pace that Anrich Nortje could generate and trouble the batsmen. But in this day and age of bowling machines, more than pace, a skilful seamer is handy. Wiaan Mulder, barely touches 135kmph but his skill set is highly valued by the Proteas. He bowled Chandimal with a delivery that kept low.

Mulder picked up five wickets in the game and his batting is more than handy and he is the best all-rounder to emerge from South Africa since Jacques Kallis. Aged 22, the Proteas prefer him in white ball cricket but with the red cherry he adds variety to the attack which is known for outright pace comprising the likes of Nortje and Kagiso Rabada, both men who clock 145kmph on average.

Kusal Perera went onto top score with 64 runs but it was the half-century by Wanindu Hasaranga that took the attention of all. The highly rated Sri Lankan all-rounder threw caution to wind smashing 59 off 53 balls with 12 fours and a six.

Sri Lanka did not chicken out sending both Rajitha and Kumara to bat. Dhananjaya de Silva was absent as he barely could walk following a thigh strain.

You would have expected Sri Lanka to bat more than 46 overs and perhaps make the Proteas bat again. But given the calamities they have suffered in this game, their minds were not all there. They will bounce back for sure having played such attractive cricket on the opening day. Cricket is a funny game.

There was some doubt whether the series will go ahead after the South African government announced a nationwide lockdown to deal with the pandemic but there was confirmation from Cricket South Africa that the series will continue – behind closed doors.