Sri Lanka upset SA to win series
Given no chance at the start, a patched-up and out-of-form Sri Lanka team stunned everyone to clinch its first series win in South Africa yesterday – and the first for any team other than England and Australia.
More than just win, Sri Lanka swept the series 2-0 with an eight-wicket victory in the second and final test in Port Elizabeth on day three. The highly rated Proteas were blanked in a home series for the first time in more than a decade and only the second time since returning to international cricket after the end of apartheid.
The historic success for a team from the Asian subcontinent – even India and Pakistan have never managed to win in South Africa – came against all expectations after Sri Lanka arrived with a new captain and an inexperienced, demoralised team.
A run of three straight series losses and six defeats in their last seven tests led to skipper Dinesh Chandimal being dumped.
Yet the Sri Lankans ultimately cruised to victory yesterday in the series-deciding match against test cricket’s No 2-ranked team, reaching the victory target of 197 at St George’s Park for the loss of just two wickets.
Kusal Mendis and Oshada Fernando dominated South Africa’s famed fast-bowling attack to seal the victory, with Mendis finishing on 84 not out and Fernando, in his debut series, 75 not out. Their partnership of 163 saw Sri Lanka home and they pummelled the South African bowlers for good measure. The partnership came off just 213 balls as Sri Lanka raced to victory.
‘‘I’m happy about today because we were down in the dumps,’’ Mendis said .
Sri Lanka are the first team to sweep South Africa at home since Ricky Ponting’s Australia came and won 3-0 in 2006, and only the second to do it in the last 26 years.
South Africa last lost at home to England three years ago and had won seven straight series at home – seeing off top-ranked India and Australia in the process.
‘‘It’s really a great feeling for me and the team,’’ new captain Dimuth Karunaratne said. ‘‘It’s not easy when you come to South Africa and to win a series 2-0, it’s a lot of hard work. I think the guys enjoyed it a lot, that’s why we created history.’’
Sri Lanka’s players leaped out of their seats on the dressing room balcony and were smiling broadly as they approached victory.
They jumped up first when Fernando strode down the wicket to smash a ball from South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj back over the bowler’s head for six to level the scores. Two balls later, Fernando clipped a single through midwicket to make history and the Sri Lankans could celebrate fully.
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis called the defeat ‘‘up there with the most disappointing’’ of his career.
‘‘You don’t want to be losing series at home and obviously we didn’t play our best cricket,’’ du Plessis said, ‘‘but credit to the team who came out on top. To beat us in our own conditions 2-0 you have to do something right, so well done to them.’’