Sri Lanka get to check out SA conditions
NO Sri Lankan scored a century or claimed a five-wicket haul during their tour match against South Africa A in Potchefstroom‚ but the visitors will no doubt be happy that they got what they came for.
The three-day game was drawn yesterday, with Sri Lanka having reached 212/5 in their second innings.
They were dismissed for 373 in their first innings‚ to which South Africa A replied with 289.
Leus du Plooy‚ the only member of his team to reach 30‚ was the match’s stand-out performer for his 142 in the first innings.
But the Lankans will be happy that both their openers reached half-centuries in each innings.
Cannily‚ the visitors sent in two different opening pairs to help as many of their batsmen as possible acclimatise to South African conditions.
In the first innings, Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva made 71 and 80 before retiring‚ as did Kusal Perera and Upul Tharanga after they scored 51 and 50 in the second dig.
Kusal Mendis‚ Dhananjaya de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal also passed 50.
The match was less successful for returning Lankan captain Angelo Mathews‚ who has not played for his team since August because of leg injuries‚ and made a five-ball duck and 37.
But he did take 2/15 in 10 overs of medium pace.
Fast bowlers Nuwan Pradeep and Lahiru Kumara were the pick of the bowlers, with figures of 3/41 and 3/36.
Duanne Olivier took 4/54 in the Lankans’ first innings.
The first of three tests between SA and Sri Lanka is at St George’s Park from Monday.