SA vs SL 2024/25, SA vs SL 2nd Test Match Report, Dec 05 - 09, 2024

South Africa 269 for 7 (Richelton 101, Bavuma 78, Kumara 3-54, Asitha 2-67) vs Sri Lanka

After electing to bat first in difficult conditions, South Africa reached 44 for 3 in the morning session, but there was a 133-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Rickelton and Richardson. Temba BavumaWho scored their third consecutive score of over fifty, saw them take control. They were shaken again at 186 for 5 but Rickelton and kyle verrin Added 77 runs for the sixth wicket to stabilize them again. Sri Lanka returned with two wickets at the end of the day and will look to bowl out South Africa for less than 300 and take full advantage of the hope of good batting on the second day.

Sri Lanka, who wanted to bowl first on a grass-covered surface and got their wish despite losing the toss, will feel quite pleased with their performance, especially as their fast bowlers asked a lot of questions. Asitha Fernando And Vishwa Fernando got enough pace in front Lahiru Kumara Used effectively in bursts and all three were threatening with the short ball. Two missed chances and a few more missed chances didn’t help them. But usually on the first day on a good batting surface, they will be pleased with their efforts.

South Africa’s decision to not only include an extra batsman but also to use Rickelton in his preferred position paid off. This was the first time he batted at number 3 in Tests, a position where his domestic average is 60.68, and he showed his suitability for higher up the order. Rickelton was called in early in the second over, batting for most of the day. He first showed composure and then attacked at any width. He was dismissed with eight minutes left in the day’s play and may have been disappointed by Kumara’s delivery of the ball outside the off stump and into gully, but that was not the case when South Africa’s batting got under way after an early wobble. Had demonstrated some depth.

Asitha, who took the new ball after Vishwa, hit a four on his very first ball when he had Tony De Zorzi out LBW for a duck on an inswinging yorker. De Zorzi reviewed but both impact and wicket-telling were the umpire’s decisions and the decision stood. Then, Kumara became the fifth Sri Lankan seamer to reach 100 Test wickets when he bowled Aiden Markram, who tried to drive a ball that could have turned out to be a dangerous innings. Markram hit four fours in his 20 runs and was not afraid to bowl any wide ball. Four overs later, Tristan Stubbs, in his first Test on his home ground, reached with a hard hand for a wide ball from Kumara and it went to wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis, who took a good catch to his right.

This filled Bavuma with confidence Kingsmead TonTo join Rickelton. Bavuma completed South Africa’s half-century by flicking Prabhat Jayasuriya’s fifth ball behind square. He played some clever strokes including a steer between second and third slip and through point. He faced the bounce well and ended the morning session by hitting Jayasuriya for a six over midwicket. Soon after lunch, South Africa gained momentum and scored ten runs in the second over of the session. Bavuma was particularly vocal in the field through drives and point, where he hit a single which brought up his half-century. This came off 57 balls, which was his second fastest century in Tests after the fifty off 52 balls where he scored his maiden century.

Rickelton was more cautious and took 122 balls to reach his fifty and never got ahead of himself, while things looked easier against the spinners. As tea time approached, Sri Lanka called on Asitha for a short-ball burst and it worked. Bavuma tried to hook the last ball of Asitha’s 11th over and it went to Kusal.

David Bedingham came off at tea but was again determined to play as aggressively as possible. He swiped at Asitha’s fifth ball and sent it over the on side. Three fielders were on him and Vishwa called him from deep midwicket and caught him for a moment but the chance slipped away. Two overs later, Bedingham went for it again, this time on a short ball, which he top-edged to fine leg. Dinesh Chandimal was the only fielder and sat under the ball but the ball passed straight through him. Bedingham’s luck ran out when he tried to beat Jayasuriya, advanced down the track, missed the slog and was bowled.

Asitha almost dismissed Verin on a short ball in the next over but he survived. However, the runs dried up. South Africa scored 17 runs in 12 overs after tea and Rickelton added only four runs to his total before he broke the tie by dismissing Kumara through point for four runs. Vereen used the crease well to create scoring chances and the pair ran well as the second new ball approached. Rickelton was in the 90s at the time and had reached 98 with a cover drive before being given out LBW off Vishwa. He reluctantly reviewed it, and the ultra-edge showed a spike. Two balls later, he delivered the ball straight to Vereen to great applause as he brought up his century in 231 balls.

Sri Lanka took the second new ball as soon as it became available and were rewarded with the wicket of Rickelton. Marco Jansen hit a boundary through cover on the very first ball, but was bowled on the last ball of the day as Vishwa, who had toiled without success all day, breached his defence.

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