Ken Borland

An immense all-round performance by Jacques Kallis carried South Africa to a series-clinching 10-wicket win over Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the third and final test at Newlands on Friday.

    Kallis, having scored 224 in the South African first innings, claimed three for 35 to end an obdurate Sri Lankan second innings on 342, leaving the hosts with a nominal target of two runs to win.

    Kallis, playing his 150th test, also took four catches to equal the South African record for the most catches by an outfielder in an innings as well as the mark of six catches in a test set by Albert Vogler in 1909/10 and matched by Bruce Mitchell in 1931/32.

    South Africa’s win brings to an end a run of four winless series at home dating back to 2008/9.

    They were held up on the fourth day by the determined Thilan Samaraweera, who scored a defiant 115 not out in 325 minutes, off 215 balls, showing fine technique and concentration.

    Angelo Mathews scored 63 and the tail-enders had some fun as well as they helped the experienced Samaraweera prolong South Africa’s time in the field to nine minutes after the scheduled tea break.

    Kallis, who had removed stubborn opener Lahiru Thirimanne for 30 on the third day, moved sharply to take a return catch from Rangana Herath (0), his record-equalling fourth catch of the innings and sixth of the test, and then bowled last man Chanaka Welegedara for 14.

    Sri Lanka appeared to be on track to take the game into a fifth day as Samaraweera and Mathews took Sri Lanka’s overnight score of 138 for four, still trailing by 203 runs, to 240 for four with their record fifth-wicket stand of 142 in 200 minutes. Sri Lanka’s previous best fifth-wicket partnership against South Africa was 121 between Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga in Moratuwa in 1993/94.

    But Mathews, who had shown plenty of strokeplaying ability, was trapped in front of the stumps by a Vernon Philander delivery that kept low in the fourth over after lunch and Dinesh Chandimal could score just a single before he edged the same bowler into the slips, where Kallis took a sharp catch.

    Sri Lanka were 248 for six with Samaraweera on 86, but the tail stayed in long enough for the 35-year-old to reach his 14th century in his 71st test and his second of the series.

    Thisara Perera (30) and Dhammika Prasad (16) both prospered briefly with some fairly reckless hitting to save Sri Lanka from an innings defeat, but not their ultimate fate.

    While the inspirational Kallis boasted the most impressive bowling figures, he was well-supported by Philander, who took three for 54 in 20 overs and has now taken 30 wickets in his first four tests.

    Leg-spinner Imran Tahir took three for 106 in 32 overs.

    South Africa’s innings is likely to feature prominently in future sporting trivia quizzes as Dhammika Prasad’s first delivery was a no-ball, which Alviro Petersen drove down the ground for the winning runs. It meant the innings officially lasted 0.0 overs.

The flashing blade of captain Tillakaratne Dilshan gave Sri Lanka a promising start to their innings after the batting heroics of Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers had put South Africa in firm control of the third test at Newlands on Wednesday.

    Sri Lanka ended the second day on 149 for two – a deficit of 431 runs – after Dilshan scored a quickfire 78 to launch the innings.

    South Africa are still obvious favourites to win the final test and the series, however, after Kallis scored a career-best double century and De Villiers an unbeaten 160 as the hosts accumulated 580 for four declared.

    Sri Lanka’s two leading run-scorers – Kumar Sangakkara (35*) and Mahela Jayawardene (7*) – were at the crease at stumps after South Africa claimed the wickets of the two opening batsmen.

    Dilshan was quickly into his stride as he blasted 12 fours in his run-a-ball innings, before falling to leg-spinner Imran Tahir.

    Dilshan lofted a drive into the outfield, but the delivery was a googly that took the inside half of the bat, allowing Graeme Smith to run from deep mid-on and take a super diving catch.

    Lahiru Thirimanne had earlier been bowled through the gate, his attempted drive getting nowhere near a Morne Morkel thunderbolt, for 23.
Following Dilshan’s dismissal 11 overs before stumps, Sangakkara and Jayawardene batted with restraint to survive through to the close.
South Africa declared 40 minutes before tea after a memorable day for Kallis, who finished with 224, while De Villiers helped himself to 160 not out off just 205 balls, with 19 fours and two sixes.
Jacques Rudolph was with De Villiers up until the declaration, scoring 51 not out as he helped to add an unbeaten 127 for the fifth wicket off just 123 balls.
De Villiers and Rudolph were plundering runs at will when Smith declared. South Africa are hunting their first series win at home in three seasons, with this series currently tied 1-1.
Rudolph, having dropped down the order from opening to number six, made his first half-century since his return to the team after a five-year absence.
Kallis, who had resumed on 159, had not exceeded 200 in a test despite amassing 10,000 test runs until his 201 not out against India at Centurion in December, 2010. The 36-year-old needed just 65 deliveries on Wednesday to reach his second double century, in 394 minutes and 280 balls, with 29 fours and a six.
Kallis fell on the stroke of lunch when an attempted lofted drive went off the toe of the bat to Angelo Mathews, who took a tumbling catch at deep mid-on to give persevering left-arm spinner Rangana Herath his only wicket.
Sri Lanka were unable to make any other breakthroughs on the second day with De Villiers advancing to his 13th test century.
South Africa attacked the bowling from the outset, with de Villiers scoring 115 runs off 113 deliveries on Wednesday.
Kallis enjoyed some good fortune as two outside edges, on 171 and 183, managed to go through the hands of Jayawardene in the slips, off the bowling of Dhammika Prasad and Mathews respectively.