Rookie seam bowler Vernon Philander covered himself in glory once again as he took five wickets, and 10 in the match, to lead South Africa to victory by an innings and 81 runs in the first test against Sri Lanka at Centurion on Saturday.
Sri Lanka produced a shameful batting performance against the relentless South African attack as they subsided to 150 all out in their second innings eight minutes before tea to lose in less than three days.
Sri Lanka were bowled out in just 39.1 overs on a pitch that still sported a healthy amount of grass, as Philander took five for 49, giving him match figures of 10 for 102.
Only Thilan Samaraweera, who top-scored with 32 in 71 minutes, and lower-order batsmen Kaushal Silva (17), Thisara Perera (21) and Rangana Herath (23) showed the right degree of resistance as the home attack sped through the Sri Lankan batting line-up.
Fast bowler Dale Steyn supported Philander well as he took two for 36.
Wicketkeeper Mark Boucher took six catches as the South African bowlers zipped the ball around the edges of the bat in helpful conditions.
Sri Lanka had collapsed to 38 for four by lunch, but the middle-order dug in before South Africa’s charge to victory gathered momentum again when Steyn and Philander returned to the attack.
Philander claimed the wicket of Angelo Mathews for five with a superb delivery that nipped away from back-of-a-length, found the edge of the bat and Boucher took a good catch.
Lanky fast bowler Morne Morkel had Samaraweera caught by Boucher in the next over with one of the few deliveries he managed to get on target.
Philander then wrapped up the innings with deliveries that obtained extra bounce to dismiss Chanaka Welegedara and Herath and claim his fourth five-wicket haul in his first three tests.
South Africa had batted for four overs on the third morning, extending their first innings total to 411 all out – a lead of 231 – before Sri Lanka collapsed in a heap before lunch.
Philander struck twice with the new ball and Steyn once, and there was also a stupid run out as Sri Lanka’s top-order showed little confidence on a pitch that offered both seam and bounce.
Philander struck first in the fourth over when he had Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan caught behind by Boucher for six.
Dilshan prodded at the ball, it hit the edge and wicketkeeper Boucher took a good catch diving forward.
It was Steyn’s nagging line and length, with a bit of movement, that accounted for fellow opener Tharanga Paranavitana, who also edged a catch to Boucher, on four.
Philander then got the key scalp of Sangakkara for just two, as the left-hander got into a tangle against an excellent delivery that swung and then seamed away, edging another catch to Boucher.
Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka’s leading run-scorer, suffered the heartbreak of being stranded just one run short of 10 000 test runs when he was run out for 15.
Jayawardene had defended a lively delivery from Jacques Kallis back down the pitch when partner Samaraweera called for an unlikely single. With the new laws no longer allowing Jayawardene to change direction and run in front of the stumps, the quick-thinking Kallis was able to throw down the wickets at the bowler’s end, leaving the batsman stranded on 9999 runs in his 126th test.
Earlier, the veteran Boucher had completed his first half-century in 18 months to relieve the pressure on him, finishing with 65 as he and Imran Tahir (29 not out) extended their last-wicket stand to 61, South Africa’s best against Sri Lanka and highest at Centurion.
Left-arm paceman Welegedara and seamer Perera shared six wickets for Sri Lanka.