A maiden test century from Ryan Rickelton helped power the Proteas to a decent 269-7 in their first innings at stumps on day one of the second test against Sri Lanka at St George’s Park in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) on Thursday.
Rickelton arrived at the crease in just the second over of play and proceeded to almost bat out the day, before falling just short of the close of play after grafting superbly for 101 off 250 balls (11x4).
He shared two big partnerships -- 133 for the fourth wicket with captain Temba Bavuma, 78 off 109 (8x4; 1x6), and 77 for the sixth wicket with Kyle Verreynne (48*) that put the Proteas into the driving seat.
But two late wickets from Sri Lanka saw them battle back into contention at the end of the day, and if they can clean up the Proteas tail cheaply in the morning on day two they will be right back in the match.
“I am obviously over the moon. There is a lot of relief. I take a lot of pride in my cricket and I am thrilled to have brought up my first century,” said Rickelton at the end of the day.
“It is more relief than anything. I have been around this team for a while. I have been in, I have been out in all formats, so to just get an opportunity to make my mark and tick that one off was great.”
STUMPS DAY ONE 🔚 | @ProteasMenCSA 269/7 🇿🇦
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) December 5, 2024
Ryan Rickelton is the star of Day One ⭐#SAvSL | #SummerOfCricket pic.twitter.com/0c0WbMVm7g
At the start of play the Proteas won the toss and chose to bat first, but it was a dreadful start as opener Tony de Zorzi missed a yorker first up from Asitha to be trapped LBW for a golden duck at the start of the second over.
Aiden Markram (20) and Rickelton combined for a 32-run second-wicket stand, but after looking good in hitting a few boundaries, Markram tried to drive Kumara down the ground, only to miss the ball and be bowled off his legs leaving them on 32-2.
First-test centurion Tristan Stubbs (4) was next in, but didn’t last long, before he wafted at a wide ball with no foot movement, getting an edge to Mendis to become Kumara’s second scalp as they slipped to 44-3.
SKIPPER BAVUMA LEADS BY EXAMPLE
That brought Bavuma to the crease and he looked in good nick, striking four boundaries and pulling a lovely six in the final over before lunch, as they cruised into the break.
Bavuma and Rickelton resumed the Proteas innings after lunch on 82-3, and swiftly took their side past the hundred run mark.
The skipper was the aggressor, as he danced down the track twice to spinner Jayasuriya for boundaries to get himself close, before a two off Lahiru Kumara a couple of overs later got him to his 23rd test fifty.
Runs all around the ground for Temba Bavuma 🙌
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) December 5, 2024
📺 Stream #SAvSL on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw pic.twitter.com/5EliNuZEFk
Rickelton soon followed suit, driving a single off Jayasuriya to get to his maiden test half century, with them taking the Proteas past the 150-run mark a few overs later.
With it looking like it would completely be the Proteas' session, Sri Lanka changed tactics and started to use the short ball, which proved to be Bavuma’s downfall when he was caught in their trap, leaving Bedingham and Rickelton at the crease going into the final session.
After tea the Proteas resumed on 177-4, but soon lost David Bedingham (6) after he struggled massively in his 19-ball stay, as he was dropped twice off the bowling of Asitha Fernando, before coming down the wicket to spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, missing the ball and being bowled to reduce them to 186-5.
But that brought Verreynne in and along with Rickelton they looked to put the Proteas into strong position by the close.
Rickelton worked his way to 98, with him pinned on the thigh by Vishwa Fernando and given out LBW, only for him to review and be given a reprieve when DRS showed he got and edge to it, which allowed him to drive a two down the ground a few balls later to get to a wonderful hundred.
Ryan Rickelton:
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) December 5, 2024
• Given out LBW for 98 😖
• Gets an inside edge to survive 😲
• Hits the runs required for his maiden Test century on the next ball 🤩💯
No sport gives you drama like Test cricket 🤯🤯
📺 Stream #SAvSL on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw pic.twitter.com/y7WXkOXKzS
Having brought up the 250 and looking like they would end the day well on top, Sri Lanka then struck back with a late double to make it a more even day between the teams.
Rickelton unfortunately lost concentration in the penultimate over of the day, slashing at a wide ball from Lahiru Kumala and getting a thick edge to Pathum Nissanka at gully with the score 263-6.
Marco Jansen (4) came in, cracked a four first ball and was bowled by a top in-swinger from Vishwa to end the day’s proceedings.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson
SRI LANKA: Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Kusal Mendis (wk), Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando