Ken Borland

Sri Lanka were in firm control for much of the first day of the first Test in Centurion on Saturday, but a gallant effort by the toiling Proteas bowlers saw them peg back the tourists, who reached stumps on 340 for six.

Having won the toss and elected to bat first, Sri Lanka’s batsmen were in an aggressive mood and with the Proteas fielding their most inexperienced pace attack – with just 12 caps between the four of them – since the 1993 Boxing Day Test against Australia, the runs came quickly.

The fifty was brought up in the 10^th over for the loss of just captain Dimuth Karunaratne’s wicket for 22, cramped by Lungi Ngidi’s good use of the inswinger from around the wicket to the left-hander. Sri Lanka looked in danger of getting carried away by their own positivity though when they lost wickets in successive overs to Anrich Nortje and Wiaan Mulder, both Kusal Mendis (12) and Kusal Perera (16) falling to loose strokes.

But as soon as Dhananjaya de Silva came in at 54 for three, the initiative was firmly in the hands of the Sri Lankans. Looking in fine touch from the outset, Dhananjaya had breezed to 32 not out at lunch as the tourists went into the break on 102 for three.

Dhananjaya and Dinesh Chandimal were pretty rampant in the first hour of the second session and there seemed little likelihood of the Proteas attack making inroads. Until Sri Lanka were struck by a large dose of misfortune when Dhananjaya, having cruised to a fluent 79 not out, strained a thigh muscle in completing a quick single and had to retire hurt. The injury was bad enough for him to be carried off the field in a buggy.

Chandimal and Dhananjaya’s partnership of 131 equalled Sri Lanka’s fourth-wicket record against South Africa, set by Mahela Jayawardena and Angelo Mathews in Colombo in 2014.

Some momentum was inevitably lost after Dhananjaya’s unfortunate departure but Chandimal then took charge and, with an impressively composed Niroshan Dickwella, they ensured South Africa did not force their way back into the game, at least until midway through the final session as another 99 runs were added.

But it was all-rounder Mulder, playing his first Test since he made his debut against Sri Lanka in February 2019, who sparked the comeback by the Proteas. He produced a brute of a delivery to have Chandimal caught in the slips for 85, a defiant and classy innings, and then trapped Dickwella lbw for 49. He could be well-pleased with his day’s work, netting him three for 68 in 18 overs, an excellent effort considering he was under pressure to perform back-up seamer duties as debutant Lutho Sipamla really struggled in the morning.

Sipamla bowled better and better as the day progressed though, and he claimed his maiden Test wicket when he bowled fellow debutant Wanindu Hasaranga for 18.

Dashun Shanaka (25*) and Kasun Rajitha (7*) then saw off the second new ball burst from Nortje and Ngidi.

Nortje was also impressive on a tough first day, he bowled with tremendous fire and intensity, and he deserved better than his final figures of one for 60 in 18 overs.