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Sri Lanka’s day of misery at Centurion

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Francois Du Plesis was the star for South Africa on day three

By Ruan van der Merwe in Centurion

After a brilliant start to their tour of South Africa, Sri Lanka’s miseries were compounded on third day’s play yesterday as several of their players pulled out with injuries allowing the Proteas to consolidate into a strong position.

The game was hanging in the balance when play resumed on day three with the Proteas 79 runs behind on a Centurion pitch that always brings quicks into the equation. Already reduced to nine players with Dhananjaya de Silva and Kasun Rajitha being ruled out of the game with injuries, Sri Lanka’s problems compounded with their quickest bowler Lahiru Kumara too pulling out.

Kumara had bowled at a decent pace sending a set Faf du Plessis on the back foot and beating him with a couple of away swinging deliveries. He was troubled by a groin strain.

Later Dasun Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga also withdrew with niggles. The leg-spinner returned and went onto finish with four wickets.

The hosts were making merry in the meanwhile with Faf posting his tenth century and Keshav Maharaj making a career best 73.

It was Faf’s career best score as well and cruelly he was dismissed one short of a maiden double hundred offering a simple catch to mid-on. It would have been also the second double hundred by a South African against Sri Lanka. Only King Kallis has scored a double against the Lankans

South Africa’s total of 621 is their highest against Sri Lanka; the previous best being 580 for four declared at Newlands in 2012. It was also their highest score at Centurion and the seventh highest score ever – home or away.

Despite the setbacks, the Sri Lankans kept their spirits high but the lead of 225 that they had conceded left too much catching up to do with one of their regular batsmen – Dhananjaya de Silva ruled out of the series. That list could have more casualties. Already Suranga Lakmal and Oshada Fernando have missed the first Test due to injuries.

Lungi Ngidi did considerable damage with the new ball. He nailed skipper Dimuth Karunaratne with a delivery that kept low and then had Kusal Mendis caught at second slip for no score.

The intensity with which Sri Lanka came into the game will be in question. The tourists were involved in a T-20 competition before coming to South Africa and went into the Test series straight without even a practice match due to health restrictions. The gap between the T-20 final and the opening Test was ten days.

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