Ken Borland

South Africa took a lot of heat off themselves with their emphatic four-day victory over Sri Lanka in Cape Town, but in a way they merely added more fuel to the perceptions of the fans.

Led by Jacques Kallis, the greatest cricketer of the modern game, the Sri Lankans were blown away by 10 wickets, the quality of the performance matching the margin of victory.

And quality is the operative word.

Because that is the over-riding feature of a side that boasts the sort of talent throughout the line-up that should be the envy of the other nine Test-playing nations.

Other than perhaps an opening batsman’s berth, the number six position and the spinner, every post in the team is filled by a world-class, proven star, a challenger for a place in a World XI.

But their actual record as a team is another story.

A 208-run defeat by a Sri Lankan team that has perhaps half their talent in Durban in the previous test understandably caused immense frustration amongst the Proteas’ followers.

While captain Graeme Smith acknowledged the team’s continued failure to meet expectations at Kingsmead, he seemed surprised by the public reaction that has been partly quelled by their slick Newlands showing.

“Someone always seems to be on the chopping block, whether it’s Jacques having bad eyes or something else. But we haven’t lost too many Tests at home, we’ve just lacked a killer punch and Durban was again a big disappointment for us,” Smith said.

“That was a big wake-up call for the team because that was not the sort of performance expected of us. But there’s a lot to build on from this win and the way we won was the most important thing,” he said.

“We’ve played well at home, just not in Durban. It’s our job to turn that around. We just need to improve in Durban, but we haven’t had a great time in one-day cricket there either, so I think it’s a venue thing.”

Kallis celebrated his 150^th Test in style as he plundered a career-best 224 off the Sri Lankan attack, took three for 35 to wrap up their second innings and took a South African record-equalling six catches in the match.

“Newlands is always a special place to play for me, it’s always been my favourite ground. Even as a kid, I would come here to play, even when it’s empty it’s a special place.

“To play my 150^th Test here, to have the team’s victory and, from a personal point of view, to have the sort of performance you dream of – I couldn’t have asked for better,” Kallis said.

While Kallis shut up his critics in the most emphatic fashion, the vultures are still circling around wicketkeeper/batsman Mark Boucher’s head, although Smith had his back.

“There’s no problem with Boucher, it was the first time I’ve seen him drop a catch in ages. He took nearly 10 catches in Pretoria [eight in the first Test at Centurion] and everyone was raving about his performance. As a gloveman, he’s been excellent for us, ultra-reliable and I think that’s why such a fuss is being made about that one drop. When we go to England, having a reliable wicketkeeper will be crucial,” the captain said.

South Africa continued to chip away at the Sri Lankan second innings as the tourists reached 138 for four in their follow-on innings at stumps on the third day of the third and final test at Newlands on Thursday.

Sri Lanka are still 203 runs behind, with South Africa needing just six more wickets in two days to win the test and clinch the series 2-1.

After being asked to follow on 341 runs behind, under cloudless skies on a mostly even batting pitch, Sri Lanka lost regular wickets.

Their only partnership of note was the 67-run second-wicket stand between Lahiru Thirimanne and Kumar Sangakkara.

Jacques Kallis, who had scored 224 to provide the foundation of South Africa’s massive first-innings total of 580 for four declared, eventually removed Thirimanne for 30 in an aggressive spell after tea.

The left-handed opener edged a lifter on to his thigh pad, from where the ball ricocheted to short-leg, Hashim Amla clasping a fine reflex catch above his head.

Leg-spinner Imran Tahir then piled on the pressure with an impressive spell around the wicket into the rough outside the left-handed Sangakkara’s off-stump, the former captain eventually edging a back-foot defensive stroke to Kallis at slip.

Sangakkara had held up the South Africans for a little over two hours in scoring 34.

Kallis then took a thrilling catch, diving low in front of first slip, to remove Mahela Jayawardene for 12 off the bowling of Morne Morkel.

Angelo Mathews then went confidently to 28 not out by stumps as he struck three fours off 38 balls. He was partnered by Thilan Samaraweera, on 19 not out, at the close.

Seamer Vernon Philander gave Sri Lanka the most headaches after lunch as Sri Lanka struggled to 42 for one in their follow-on innings at tea.

Philander took three for 46 as he wrapped up the Sri Lankan first innings for 239  and he then claimed the one wicket to fall before tea.

Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan fell for just five when he edged a booming drive at Philander through to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.

Morkel should have claimed the wicket of fellow opener Thirimanne on 10, but Boucher dropped a simple catch behind the stumps.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith enforced the follow on after Sri Lanka lost their last three wickets for 20 runs in the half-hour after lunch, fast bowler Dale Steyn also finishing with three wickets.

Steyn bowled with great intensity and control before lunch to give South Africa a firm grip on the test. Sticking to a wonderful line just outside off stump and moving the ball away at high pace, he took three for 16 in eight overs on the third morning as Sri Lanka’s ill-equipped batsmen slumped to 219 for seven at lunch.

Rookie wicketkeeper/batsman Dinesh Chandimal was their leading light on Thursday as he was the last man out, for 35.

Sri Lanka had resumed on their overnight score of 149 for two and lost eight wickets for 90 runs.

It was Steyn who started the rot when he removed Sangakkara, who drove lazily to Amla at point, for 35 with the third ball of the day.

Philander, who may have taken more wickets with a bit more fortune, then found the edge of Samaraweera’s bat as the veteran prodded at another fine delivery that nipped away from back-of-a-length outside off stump. Kallis took a low catch at second slip and Samaraweera was out for 11.

Steyn, who did not stray from his exemplary line all morning, then returned half-an-hour before lunch and Jayawardene (30) was not able to resist pushing firmly at a delivery outside off stump, edging another catch to Kallis at second slip.

Mathews did not trouble Steyn for long, making just a single before he dabbed at an away-swinger and wicketkeeper Boucher took a good catch diving forward.

Spinner Tahir then rushed a big-turning leg-break through Thisara Perera’s defences to bowl him for five with what became the last ball before lunch.

Fast bowler Steyn finished with three for 56 in 20 overs, while Tahir took two for 54 in 21 overs.

South Africa won the first match of the series at Centurion by an innings and 81 runs and Sri Lanka triumphed by 208 runs in the second test in Durban.