DAY 1: Proteas in trouble on rain-marred opening day of test

The opening day’s play of the first test between South Africa and Sri Lanka was abandoned after heavy afternoon rain fell at Kingsmead in Durban on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka, who won the toss and inserted the Proteas in conditions that were perfect for seam and swing bowling, had reduced the home team to 80 for four when drizzle forced the players off the field five minutes before lunch at 11.25am. They never returned and play was officially called off at 3pm.

The most significant event of the day took place before play began. Returning Proteas’ skipper Temba Bavuma – out since October with an elbow injury – tossed the coin and Sri Lankan skipper Dhananjaya de Silva called correctly, performing a valuable service for his country on a morning when thick cloud covered a gloomy stadium, making his decision to field almost a formality.

Indeed, South Africa’s position could have been even worse but for two mistakes from the Sri Lankans. Bavuma, who survived the session unscathed on 28, was dropped at slip by Dimuth Karunaratne off Vishwa Fernando when he had scored one. Then, just before the break, he was reprieved again. Bavuma, on 20, gloved a hook off paceman Lahiru Kumara to the wicketkeeper, but, fortunately for the South African captain, the delivery was judged a no-ball.

The Proteas enjoyed a deceptively bright start to their innings with Aiden Markram square-cutting and driving Asitha Fernando for consecutive boundaries. But in the third over, Markram poked at a delivery just outside his off-stump, edging a comfortable catch to Angelo Mathews in the slips.

Two balls later Vishwa Fernando induced another edge, this time from Tony de Zorzi. The ball travelled low to Dimuth Karunaratne at second slip who took a fine catch sprawling to his right.

The conditions were perfect for swing and seam movement and the South African batters continued to live precariously. Tristan Stubbs, always looking for the aggressive option, helped to take 17 runs off Lahiru Kumara’s opening over, but the paceman got his revenge in his next over as Stubbs edged an away-swinging delivery to Karunaratne in the slips. The ball burst through his hands but, fortunately for him, the ball came to rest in his lap.

David Bedingham opened his account with a square drive for four, but was then beaten by a delivery from Kumara that seamed back at him, taking an inside edge before ripping out his off-stump.

Kyle Verreynne joined his captain and the pair had added 26 before a light drizzle took the players off the field. Bavuma’s unbeaten 28 included five fours in 47 balls.

The three principal Sri Lankan seamers shared the wickets with Kumara the most successful with 2-35 in four overs while Asitha and Vishwa Fernando claimed a wicket each.

The two-match series in Durban and Gqeberha mirrors the 2019 series which Sri Lanka won 2-0, becoming the first team from the Asian subcontinent to win a test series in South Africa.

This time around there’s plenty to play for, with both sides well placed to qualify for the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in England in June next year. South Africa need to win all four tests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan to ensure qualification although three wins could see them through if other results go their way.

SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (capt.), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada

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