enabling technologies: Sri Lanka in South Africa, 2011-2012 Test Series: 3rd Test, Day 1

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Sri Lanka in South Africa, 2011-2012 Test Series: 3rd Test, Day 1

: Jacques Kallis' 159* in his 150th Test gave South Africa complete control over Sri Lanka - digicelcricket / Flickr

Jacques Kallis and Alviro Peterson crush Sri Lanka's cricket team as South Africa dominate the first day of the third and final Test match.

Beating South Africa in South Africa - in a Test match, no less - is very good, but there's still a Test to win if Sri Lanka are to come away with any serious bragging rights. The euphoria of Durban had to be put on the shelf as the two teams met for the deciding Test in Cape Town. South Africa would be very keen to show that their batting failures in Durban were an aberration, while Sri Lanka looked to ensure that their historic win wasn't just a fluke.

South Africa's Charge Blows Sri Lanka Away

Tillekeratne Dilshan raised a few eyebrows when he put South Africa in to bat upon winning the toss. The sun was out and South African grounds are known for their high scores. When Graeme Smith took Chanaka Welegedera for 15 runs in only the third over of the innings, the signs were ominous for Sri Lanka. Alviro Peterson, opening the batting for South Africa for the first time in nearly a year, cashed in as well, hitting a wayward Thissara Perera for a couple of boundaries the next over. But Smith was bowled against the run of play, inside-edging Dammika Prasad onto his stumps, and Sri Lanka drew first blood at 25/1.

The runs continued to flow for South Africa, racing to 54/1 by the 11th over. Prasad struck again, trapping Hashim Amla LBW for 16. 56/2 South Africa, and the wicket brought Jacques Kallis out on his 150th Test. He was quickly in action, smacking Angelo Mathews for three consecutive boundaries to put his Durban pair behind him. The hosts raced on, Peterson bringing up South Africa's 100 with a boundary, then hitting a couple more to bring up his half-century. Kallis struck four boundaries in quick succession to take South Africa to lunch at a daunting 135/2.

Centuries for Kallis and Peterson

Kallis reached his own half-century soon into the second session at better than a run-a-ball. The bowling completely wilted as Peterson and Kallis raced to their century stand off only 112 balls. Sri Lanka could only look on as the run rate climbed to an ODI-like 4.30 an over. Kallis brought up the 200 for South Africa with a boundary in only the 45th over of the day. The only contest out there was to see which batsman would reach his century first. It turned out to be Kallis, the man who bagged a pair in the last game, but now scored his 41st Test century in his 150th game, and has now scored a century against every Test-playing nation.

Peterson had to wait for his century, going to tea on 99* and South Africa dominating the game at 235/2. He reached it easily, as Sri Lanka continued to be buried under a mountain of runs. The 250 came up with a Kallis boundary and Peterson brought up the 200-run partnership with a boundary. Sri Lanka finally made a breakthrough at 261, Tillkeratne Dilshan holding to a sharp catch from Peterson off Chanaka Welegedera. Peterson gone for a magnificent 109, but South Africa in no trouble at all at 261/3.

Kallis and AB de Villiers batted serenely on, giving Sri Lanka no further opening. Kallis brought up the 300 with a boundary, and reached his 150 (in his 150th Test) when the new ball was taken. The misery finally ended for Sri Lanka when stumps were drawn at 347/3, with Kallis on 159* and de Villiers 45*.

Complete, Utter and Total Dominance

So if there were any fears in the South African camp that the batting would fall apart like it did in Durban, I can't think of how forcefully that question has been answered. Jacques Kallis could be the only man in world cricket who can put a double-pair behind him and respond with a sublime, brilliant 159*.

For Sri Lanka, everything that can go wrong has gone wrong. Dilshan's choice to bowl first makes Nasser Hussain's 2002 call in Brisbane look like a good idea. As the runs piled on, the Sri Lankan bowling and fielding fell apart, letting South Africa simply walk all over them.

It's hard to see how Sri Lanka can salvage this. South Africa are well on course for a 500+ total, and an already-shaky batting lineup will have to deal with Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander - on a decaying pitch.

Sri Lanka did well to win their first Test in South Africa, but have they given up on the series?

Sri Lanka vs. South Africa, Third Test, Day 1: