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Kumara double rocks South Africa
- Updated: January 2, 2017
Lunch Sri Lanka 69 for 3 (Elgar 36*, du Plessis 1*) v South AfricaLive scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Faf du Plessis, South Africa’s captain, did not attempt to disguise the fact: South Africa had purposefully produced a Newlands pitch for the second Test designed for seam bowling. Even Table Mountain, adorned by cloud, came out in support.
But it was Sri Lanka who won first use of a firm, grassy surface and two wickets late in the session – making three in all – ensured they achieved what had to be seen as a minimum objective at the end of a session when the odds were in their favour.
Stephen Cook departed four balls into the match, but Sri Lanka were desperate for further inroads as lunch loomed and Dean Elgar and Hashim Amla, in contrasting styles, assembled composed resistance. That boost came from the impressive 19-year-old quick Lahiru Kumara, whose third over accounted for both Amla and JP Duminy.
Kumara, maintaining speeds well in excess of 140kph, unhinged Amla with an excellent delivery which came back between bat and pad, leaving Amla once again short of a big score to restate his talent. Five balls later, Duminy fended Kumara off his hip for the wicketkeeper, Kusal Mendis, to spring down the leg side for …
