Proteas need more runs on the board

Blaming the bowlers for Durban defeat to Lankans unfair

THE KEY to a series-levelling victory for South Africa will be in the runs they can make in Port Elizabeth.

Though all fingers were pointed at the bowlers for not being able to knock over the Sri Lankan tail in Durban, deep down they know that their problems started far sooner than Saturday afternoon.

On Wednesday morning, Vishwa Fernando started the Test by reducing the hosts to 17 for three inside the first hour.

It was a terrific start by the leftarm upstart and he immediately put South Africa on the back foot.

Though Quinton de Kock fought back with a typical knock of positivity, 235 all out was not the total South Africa would have had in mind when they set forth.

Already they were rearranging their plans. Sri Lanka’s 191 kept them in touch, and then the second innings was another case of what could have been.

Faf du Plessis noted that a century from him would have taken his side too far away from the visitors. They might have looked at the size of the mountain and figured it was simply too much.

As it was, some of Sri Lanka’s top order played as of they had given up already. They looked just as shocked when Kusal Perera took charge in the manner that he did.

“Credit must go to him for the way he played. We threw everything at him. We bowled spin. We bowled pace. We bounced him. We yorked him, we went round the wicket, over the wicket...” Proteas coach Ottis Gibson, said of their efforts to knock the hero of the hour over.

“When you look at what happened in Durban, you have to give them a lot of credit. When I left home I didn’t see that happening, to be honest,” he added about the outcome. No one saw it coming, actually. Perera did take us all by surprise, just as Fernando had with the ball – one at the beginning and one at the end of the Test.

Both performances were decisive and Gibson added that those kind of displays from individuals have always been a part of the game.

“That’s the nature of sport, when someone has a day like that and makes a personal best score to win a Test match. History is littered with performances like that.”

This week, South Africa will want those types of performances to come from their camp. They will want the definitive spells and batting displays to be theirs, and the clapping and acknowledging left to their visitors.

It is the nature of Test cricket to throw up such surprises, but the routine then normally dictates that regular service just as swiftly resumes. South Africa will be counting on that occurring once more.

They will do so without Vernon Philander, who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. No replacement has been called up to the squad.

The second Test starts at St George’s Park tomorrow at 10am.