Sth Africa sweeps series

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa has completed a series victory against Sri Lanka with a 10wicket win in the second test in Johannesburg yesterday.

South Africa completed a sweep of its twomatch series against Sri Lanka as it strolled to a 10wicket win on the third day of the second test.

South Africa knocked off a target of 67 runs without loss as openers Dean Elgar (31 not out) and Aiden Markram (36 not out) saw them to victory at the Wanderers Stadium — with twoandahalf days of the contest still remaining. Success in Johannesburg followed a convincing innings and 45run triumph in the first test in Pretoria last week.

Sri Lanka was bowled out for 211 in its second innings, surviving only 95 minutes of the third morning session. It resumed its second innings at 150 for four overnight with a tenuous fiverun lead but with captain Dimuth Karunaratne not out on 91 and hoping to set the home side an imposing target to chase.

Karunaratne reached his 10th test century off 123 balls as the visitors began in aggressive fashion, but a misjudged pull shot saw the Sri Lanka skipper top edge Anrich Nortje to be caught by Wiaan Mulder in a major blow to their hopes, just 20 minutes into the day’s play. He was dismissed for 103.

Sri Lanka, which won the toss and elected to bat, scored 157 in its first innings and South Africa replied with 302, with Elgar top scoring on 127. South Africa now look ahead to its first visit in 14 years to Pakistan, where it will play two tests and three twenty20 internationals later this month. — with AP