Sri Lanka slip to lowest Test score of 42 with Jansen strike

DURBAN, South Africa :Sri Lanka were dismissed for their lowest test total of 42 after South Africa’s Marco Jansen displayed bowling heroics to help the hosts gain a firm hold on the first test as they built a 281-run lead at the close of play. second day.

The tall Jansen took a career-best 7-13 as Sri Lanka fell within 14 overs as 19 wickets fell on a lively surface at Kingsmead on Thursday.

Having been bowled out by a score of 80-4 on the night, South Africa were all out for 191 at lunch in the first innings, but were 132-3 ahead in the second innings as they chased victory for a place in the World Test Championship final. at Lord’s next June.

Jansen, 24, is the second bowler to take seven wickets in a Test innings, emulating former Australia captain Hugh Trumble, who took 7-28 in 6.5 overs, including a hat-trick, to victory over England in Melbourne. In 1904.

Only 41 balls were taken after three Sri Lankans bowled cleanly in Jansen’s over, three more were caught in the slips and she capped off the innings by catching and bowling last man Asitha Fernando to deliver a sky-high delivery.

“We saw the ball moving early in the day and we knew if we put the ball in the right area we could make some things happen,” Jansen said.

LOWEST TOTAL

Sri Lanka’s score was the tied ninth lowest innings in Test history and their own worst total by 29 runs since their 71 against Pakistan in Kandy 30 years ago.

This was also the lowest Test innings total at the Durban ground, eclipsing the 53 scored by Bangladesh in March 2022.

Gerald Coetzee took 2-18 and Kagiso Rabada took the first wicket on a seamer-friendly surface which provided plenty of help to the home attack, but the Sri Lankans contributed to their quick demise with shocking innings.

While Kamindu Mendis top scored with 13 runs, five players were dismissed without scoring.

Home skipper Temba Bavuma top-scored with 70 runs in South Africa’s first innings, returning after missing last month’s two-Test series victory in Bangladesh due to an elbow injury, making 24 not out along with Tristan Stubbs on 17.

Aiden Markram made 47 in South Africa’s second innings before being bowled by Vishwa Fernando, while Prabath Jayasuriya took two wickets to reach 100 in just 17 tests in his test career, becoming the joint second-fastest to a ton of wickets.