HomeNewsSA vs SL, 2nd Test: Rabada-inspired hosts register 282–run win; seal series 2-0
South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 2nd Test: Kagiso Rabada-inspired hosts register 282–run win; seal series 2-0
With this win, South Africa have taken an unassailable lead in the series. They had won the first Test at Port Elizabeth by 206 runs and thus lead the three-match series 2-0 now.
Kagiso Rabada’s fiery spell of 6 for 55 inspired South Africa to a massive 282-run win over the hapless Sri Lankan side on the fourth day of the second Test at Cape Town. Rabada, who had earlier completed his 50 Test wickets in the first innings, registered the fifth five-wicket haul of his career as he ended the match with figures of 10 for 92. He was well supported by Vernon Philander (3 for 48) and Kyle Abbott, who though bowled well but finished wicketless in the game. With this win, South Africa have taken an unassailable lead in the series. They had won the first Test at Port Elizabeth by 206 runs and thus lead the three-match series 2-0 now.
It was always going to be difficult for the tourists to save the Cape Town Test after being 130 for 4 at the end of Day Three chasing a mammoth 507. The only question was how far could they go and reduce the margin of the defeat. The two overnight batsmen Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal started their team’s mission-impossible as Abbott and Rabada started the proceedings. The Protea pair was bang on money from the beginning and the results followed just a couple of overs into the day.
Chandimal was the first to go, when he was caught at square-leg in a soft dismissal. The ball from Rabada was nowhere near being a wicket-taking delivery. It was evident as the bowler did not even celebrate the dismissal, knowing he had erred and the wicket was merely a bonus. Upul Tharanga, who remained unbeaten amidst the first-innings collapse, had a very ‘unlike-him’ start to his innings, as he hit Rabada for three boundaries in the same over. The next over saw Mathews get a couple of fours off Abbott’s bowling and it seemed like attack was the way forward for the Lankans.
But Rabada returned in the next over to cut the flight short when he removed Tharanga first and then Mathews, pushing Sri Lanka further to the brink of defeat. Quinton de Kock was having a busy day as both the batsmen were caught behind. He took three catches in all to go with one stumping in the second innings.
From here on, the Sri Lankan tail only tried to delay the inevitable. Rangana Herath played a nice little cameo of 35 not out with the help of four boundaries. Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara and Nuwan Pradeep all played a few shots and perished, as Sri Lanka fell short of the target by 282 runs —interestingly, the lead South Africa had taken in the first innings.
Earlier, Mathews’ men could not make the most of winning the toss and bowling first on a pitch that had plenty of grass on it. Powered by Dean Elgar’s sixth and de Kock’s third Test tons, the hosts put on 392 runs on the board —a total considered 125 runs too many by the experts. Their bowlers then returned to restrict Sri Lanka to a paltry 110, with Rabada and Philander picking four-wickets apiece.
South Africa decided against giving follow-on to the tourists and batted again to put up 224 for 7 and declaring to set Sri Lanka a huge target of 507 to get in two-and-a-half days.
A few players involved in this Test reached to their personal milestones. Herath brought up his 356th Test wicket, which put him behind only Muttiah Muralitharan in terms of most wickets for Sri Lanka. De Kock completed his 1,000 Test runs while Philander and Rabada completed their 150 and 50 Test wickets respectively. The Test will perhaps also be remembered as Abbott’s last for South Africa, as his Kolpak deal with Hampshire has been completed.
The third and final Test of the series will be played between January 12 and 16 at Johannesburg.
Brief scores:
South Africa 392 and 224 for 7 dec. beat Sri Lanka 110 and 224 (Angelo Mathews 49, Rangana Herath 35*; Kagiso Rabada 6 for 55, Vernon Philander 3 for 48) by 282 runs.
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