26/12Result
1st Test, Sri Lanka tour of South Africa at Gqeberha, Dec 26-30 2016
South Africa won by 206 runs
Player of the Match
Stephen Cook
Stephen CookSouth Africa
26/12Result
1st Test, Sri Lanka tour of South Africa at Gqeberha, Dec 26-30 2016
South Africa won by 206 runs
Player of the Match
Stephen Cook
Stephen CookSouth Africa

A slightly frustrating last-wicket stand for South Africa, but overall a very efficient job to mop up Sri Lanka for 205. They have a lead of 81 which feels very significant in these conditions. Five wickets for Philander, another outstanding display from him. Sri Lanka will rue some poor shots from the top order because the middle order showed that with some hard work it was possible to score runs. I'll be back in a few minutes for South Africa's second innings. Meanwhile, here's Firdose's review of South Africa's 2016 - which hasn't quite finished yet.

64.5
W
Abbott to Chameera, OUT, and that's done it...pushing without any footwork at a length delivery outside off and this time it takes the edge, offers a simple waist-high catch to Amla at first slip

PVD Chameera c Amla b Abbott 19 (65m 51b 2x4 0x6) SR: 37.25

64.4
0
Abbott to Chameera, no run, length ball outside off, pushes quite hard and it comes off a thickish outside edge but falls short of the finer gully
64.3
0
Abbott to Chameera, no run, a flat-footed drive outside off, gets beaten

vaibs: "Adding onto what Chaitanya has just said, some bowlers aren't even picked these days because of their batting: poor Jackson Bird..." Yes, that was taking things a little to the extreme

64.2
3
Abbott to Pradeep, 3 runs, he drives neatly through the off side, no great timing so it will be hauled in but more useful runs
64.1
0
Abbott to Pradeep, no run, full at off stump, pushed to mid-off

Dylan: "Time for some Rabada yorkers #lbw" Will be Abbott for now

END OF OVER:
64 | 4 Runs | SL: 202/9

  • Dushmantha Chameera19 (48b)
  • Nuwan Pradeep5 (8b)
  • Vernon Philander20-7-45-5
  • Kyle Abbott21-4-60-2
63.6
0
Philander to Chameera, no run, and there's the inswinger, lovely bowling, full outside off and beats the inside edge as he drives
63.5
0
Philander to Chameera, no run, beats the outside edge as he pushes without footwork

Ron: "@Vani: In 1961, in a Northamptonshire v Gloucestershire match, Tom Pugh ducked into a low full toss from David Larter. The ball broke his jaw in two places -- and, just to add insult to injury, he was also given out LBW."

63.4
0
Philander to Chameera, no run, a short ball outside off, he sways out of the line
63.3
0
Philander to Chameera, no run, cuts and misses at a short ball outside off
63.2
4
Philander to Chameera, FOUR, super shot! A full ball at off stump and he just bunts it in the air straight down the ground...a very correct shot
63.1
0
Philander to Chameera, no run, nips back from short of a length, pushed to the bowler

END OF OVER:
63 | 4 Runs | SL: 198/9

  • Nuwan Pradeep5 (8b)
  • Dushmantha Chameera15 (42b)
  • Kyle Abbott21-4-60-2
  • Vernon Philander19-7-41-5

chaithanya89: "Art of getting tailenders out has forgotten ??? Too many 8 ,9 10th record partnerships past 3 years" Most bowlers can bat these days

62.6
0
Abbott to Pradeep, no run, late movement from a full length, feeling away from his body with his feet stuck in the crease
62.5
0
Abbott to Pradeep, no run, full at off stump, defended to the covers

Three slips and two gullies now

62.4
4
Abbott to Pradeep, FOUR, short of a length outside off and that's nicely played as he drives off the back foot behind point
62.3
0
Abbott to Pradeep, no run, slashes at a full delivery with some width, doesn't make contact
62.2
0
Abbott to Pradeep, no run, defends a length ball to the on side
62.1
0
Abbott to Pradeep, no run, short outside off, cut to point

Vani: "I don't know much about cricket, but my 6yr old son wants to know whether a short batsman can be given out bbw (box before wicket)" Yes, he could be. Batsmen have been given lbw by being hit on various parts of the body. Dare I mention SRT v McGrath?

END OF OVER:
62 | 1 Run | SL: 194/9

  • Dushmantha Chameera15 (42b)
  • Nuwan Pradeep1 (2b)
  • Vernon Philander19-7-41-5
  • Kyle Abbott20-4-56-2
61.6
0
Philander to Chameera, no run, defended to the on side

Match Coverage

All Match News

Fourth Innings Hero

69.75

Mathews' average in 4th inns of Tests. Only Bruce Mitchell, Jeffrey Stollmeyer and Bradman average higher (min 500 runs)

Tough ask

410

Most runs scored by SL in the 4th inn of a Test. This was scored against Aus at Hobart in 2007. Their highest 4th inn score in SA is 306.They need 488 to win.

Starting Strong

3

Number of centuries scored by Stephen Cook this year - Highest for any player from South Africa. Amla, Du Plessis and De Kock have 2 hundreds each.

Rare Feat

1

Instances of the same opening pair for RSA before Elgar and Cook to have 2 100+ run stands in both innings of a Test.Bob Catteral and Bruce Mitchell did so in 1929

Opening Salvo

1970

Last instance of the opening stand having 2 50+ run stands in a Test Match for RSA at Port Elizabeth. Barry Richards and Eddie Barlow added 157 and 73 against Aus

Favourite Team

17.34

Philander's average versus Sri Lanka in Tests. 2nd best against any team.He now has 3 five wicket hauls against SL, Aus and NZ.

bowlers' session

7/56

Score in the 1st session on the 2nd day of the Test at Port Elizabeth. Only six wickets fell on the 1st day and 267 runs were made.

Maiden five-for

0

No. of five-wicket hauls by Suranga Lakmal before this. He is playing his 32nd Test.

Getting starts, getting out

5

Instances of South Africa's top five all being dismissed between 20 and 65 in a Test innings. This is only the third such instance since their readmission

Amla's dip in form

49.92

Hashim Amla's career average; he needs to score 62 (if dismissed) in the 2nd innings to bring his average back up to 50

A long time coming

1970

The last time South Africa had a century stand for the first wicket here in Tests, before today: Eddie Barlow and Barry Richards added 157 v Australia

Fifty stand at last

16.25

SA's average opening stand in Port Elizabeth in their 12 previous Test innings from 2001. Their highest opening partnership in this period was 47