Sri Lanka stun South Africa to create test history
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 — and the first for any team other than England and Australia.
Sri Lanka swept the series 2-0 with an eight-wicket victory in the second and final test in Port Elizabeth. 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 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 in the series decider, 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.
Sri Lanka is the first team to sweep South Africa at home since Ricky Ponting’s Australia won 3-0 in 2006, and only the second to do it in the last 26 years. South Africa had won seven straight series at home — seeing off top-ranked India and Australia in the process.
“I think 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.”
Hit by injuries, Sri Lanka started the series in South Africa with two debutants and two fast bowlers with just a handful of test appearances alongside the new skipper, and there were significant setbacks during the series, being behind after the first innings in both tests. In the first test in Durban, it responded with a brilliant 153 not out from Kusal Perera, and a record last-wicket partnership of 78 with Vishwa Fernando to chase down 304 for an against-the-odds victory.
In the second test in Port Elizabeth, spinner Lasith Embuldeniya broke his thumb on the first day and Sri Lanka had to make do without him for the rest of the match. The tourists still bowled South Africa out for 128 in its second innings to set up the series-clinching win.