Tags:
Journalism of Courage
CAPE TOWN, JAN 2: South African captain Shaun Pollock took 6 for 30 as Sri Lanka crashed to 95 all out on the first day of the second Test at Newlands here on Tuesday.
South Africa were 28 for 1 at tea, with Herschelle Gibbs, recalled after a six-month ban from international cricket, caught behind for nought off the second ball he faced from Chaminda Vaas.
The Sri Lankans were virtually defenceless against a bombardment of short-pitched bowling after Pollock ripped the heart out of their batting with a spell of four wickets for no runs in 13 deliveries.
Mfuneko Ngam took 3 for 26 as he and Pollock exploited a pitch with good bounce and some lateral movement after Sri Lanka won the toss and batted.
All Sri Lankan batsmen were caught, seven in the cordon between wicketkeeper and gully.
Pollock started the Sri Lankan slide after Marvan Atapattu and skipper Sanath Jayasuriya had reached 12 in the fifth over seemingly without any difficulty.
The South African captain made a ball seam away from Atapattu who edged a simple catch to Jacques Kallis at second slip.
Pollock produced a superb delivery in his next over which moved away from the left-handed Jayasuriya, who edged a catch to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.
Mahela Jayawardene, the tourists’ most successful batsman in South Africa and who scored 98 in the first innings of the first Test, lasted only three balls.
He too fell victim to Pollock, although umpire Ian Howell appealled for a television replay to confirm that a low edge had carried to Kallis at second slip.
Russel Arnold was caught off bat and pad at short leg as Sri Lanka crashed to 13 for 4.
Kumar Sangakkara, who saw three partners dismissed before he scored his first run, put on 20 with Tillekeratne Dilshan before Kallis and Pollock combined again, although this time Kallis was the bowler and Pollock the fielder at third slip, holding a sharp chance diving to his right.
Sangakkara and fellow left-hander Avishka Gunawardene put on 33 for the sixth wicket before the carnage resumed after lunch when Sangakkara (32) flashed at a lifting ball from Ngam and was caught at first slip.
Gunawardene looked uncomfortable against the lifting ball but made 24 before edging Ngam to second slip where Kallis held his third catch of the innings.
Gunawardene replaced Romesh Kaluwitharana from the side that drew the first Test in Durban, with Sangakkara taking over the wicketkeeping gloves from Kaluwitharana.
Gunawardene had played in only one previous match on tour, a one-dayer against KwaZulu-Natal in which he scored 3 runs.
Pollock also held three catches, one off his own bowling when Nuwan Zoysa top-edged an attempted pull.
Gibbs returned to the South African team in place of Boeta Dippenaar after completing a six-month suspension from international cricket for conspiring in match fixing but he pushed tentatively at Vaas to give Sangakkara an easy catch before opening his account.
Scoreboard
Sri Lanka (1st Innings)
Marvan Atapattu c Kallis b Pollock 5
Sanath Jayasuriya c Boucher b Pollock 8
Kumar Sangakkara c Cullinan b Ngam 32
Dishan Jayawardene c Kallis b Pollock 0
Russel Arnold c Kirsten b Pollock 0
Tillekeratne Dilshan c Pollock b Kallis 5
Avishka Gunawardene c Kallis b Ngam 24
Chaminda Vaas c Pollock b Ngam 7
Nuwan Zoysa c and b Pollock 10
Ricardo Fernando Not Out 0
Muthiah Muralitharan c Ntini b Pollock 0
Extras: (w 1, nb 3) 4
TOTAL: (all out in 38.4 overs) 95
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-13, 3-13, 4-13, 5-33, 6-66, 7-84 8-95, 9-95
Bowling: Pollock 13.4-6-30-6, Ngam 13-3-26-3, Kallis 6-2-19-1, Ntini 6-2-20-0
