Lutho Sipamla bowled with aggression and accuracy to take three wickets in the first session on Day 2, but Sri Lanka still posted 396 in their first innings of the Boxing Day Test at Centurion, Khalid Mohidin.
The aim for the Proteas would have been to bowl Sri Lanka out as quickly as possible, but the visitors had other plans. They smashed their previous highest total on South African soil – 342 scored wich was scored at Newlands in 2012.
Lutho Sipamla wiped out the Sri Lanka tail taking three wickets in the first hour of Day 2.
Sipamla added to his maiden wicket of Wanindu Hasaranga on Day 1, by dismissing Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara, wiping up the tail and preventing an inform Dasun Shanaka (66 not out) from causing more damage.
His first wicket, of Rajitha, was a result of a good length ball which found the edge of the bat and flew to Dean Elgar at second slip.
His second wicket produced a passionate fist pump from the young quick – He presented a beautiful straight seam, full, fast and with a hint of inswing to remove the off-stump of Fernando,
For his third, he forced the edge from Kumara which flew quickly to a fumbling Rassie van der Dussen who held onto to the catch. S
Sipamla finished as the Proteas’ best bowler with 4/76, showing incredible fighting spirit.
Despite the clinical bowling from the 22-year-old, Sri Lanka still managed to post their highest ever total in South Africa – 396.
South Africa batted at a run rate of 4.59 to score 45-0 by lunch on Day 2. Aiden Markram (27*) and Dean Elgar (15*), with some beautiful drives from the former.
Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
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