Philander leads South Africa rout of Sri Lanka

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. 

Philander took five for 49, for match figures of 10-102, as Sri Lanka produced a shameful batting performance and folded to 150 all out in their second innings, eight minutes before tea on the third day. 

It was the 26-year-old’s fourth five-wicket haul in his first three Tests.
 
Only Thilan Samaraweera, who top-scored with 32, and lower-order batsmen Kaushal Silva (17), Thisara Perera (21) and Rangana Herath (23) showed any resistance as the home attack sped through the Sri Lankan batting line-up. 

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 Dale Steyn (2-36) 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. 

After South Africa had batted for four overs on the third morning, taking their first innings total to 411 all out, Philander struck twice with the new ball. 

He dismissed captain Tillakaratne Dilshan (6) in the fourth over and then Kumar Sangakkara for two as Sri Lanka showed little confidence on a pitch that offered both seam and bounce. 

Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka’s leading run-scorer, suffered the heartbreak of being stranded one short of 10,000 Test runs when he was run out for 15 in his 126th Test.  
Jayawardene had defended a lively delivery from Jacques Kallis back down the pitch when partner Samaraweera called for an unlikely single.  

With the rules 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. 

Earlier, Boucher had completed his first half-century in 18 months to relieve some of the pressure on him.  

He finished 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. 
 

Scoreboard:

Sri Lanka, first innings, 180

South Africa, first innings (overnight 389-9)
J. Rudolph c Paranavitana b Perera           44
G. Smith lbw b Fernando                      61
D. Steyn run out (Herath)                     0
H. Amla c Mathews b Perera                   18
J. Kallis c Mathews b Welegedera             31
A. de Villiers sub (Kurunaratne) b Perera    99
A. Prince c Silva b Mathews                  39
M. Boucher c Silva b Welegedera              65
V. Philander c Jayawardene b Dilshan          4
M. Morkel c Samaraweera b Welegedera          4
Imran Tahir not out                          29
Extras (b1, lb1, nb12, w3)                   17
Total (122 overs)                           411
Fall of wickets: 1-88 (Smith), 2-90 (Steyn), 3-125 (Amla), 4-136 (Rudolph), 5-173 (Kallis), 6-270 (Prince), 7-303 (De Villiers), 8-344 (Philander), 9-350 (Morkel)
Bowling: Welegedera 31-4-96 -3 (1nb, 1w), Perera 24-1-114-3 (1w), Mathews 9-4-13-1, Fernando 28-2-128-1 (7nb, 1w), Dilshan 7-1-17-1, Herath 23-4-41-0

Sri Lanka, second innings
T. Paranavitana c Boucher b Steyn            4
T. Dilshan c Boucher b Philander             6
K. Sangakkara c Boucher b Philander          2
M. Jayawardene run out (Kallis)             15
T. Samaraweera c Boucher b Morkel           32
A. Mathews c Boucher b Philander             5
K. Silva c Kallis b Tahir                   17
T. Perera c Smith b Steyn                   21
R. Herath c Boucher b Philander             23
C. Welegedera c and b Philander             10
D. Fernando not out                          4
Extras (lb1, nb10)                          11
Total (39.1 overs)                         150
Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Dilshan), 2-11 (Paranavitana), 3-19 (Sangakkara), 4-37 (Jayawardene), 5-66 (Mathews), 6-70 (Samaraweera),
7-104 (Perera), 8-133 (Silva), 9-145 (Welegedera)
Bowling: Steyn 10-2-36-2, Philander 11.1-1-49-5 (5nb), Kallis 5-3-13-0 (1nb), Morkel 9-0-36-1 (4nb), Tahir 4-1-15-1

Result: South Africa won by an innings and 81 runs
Series: South Africa lead the three-match series 1-0
Toss: South Africa

Umpires: Steve Davis, Rod Tucker (both AUS)
TV umpire: Richard Kettleborough (ENG)
Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

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