Sports - Tail saves the blushes

“If he does not do it with the ball he does with the bat”, was what the South African team were saying. They were referring to Chaminda Vass who scored his eleventh half century. His century stand with Farveez Maharoof enabled Sri Lanka to get within 40 runs of South Africa first innings total. At the close of the second days play in the second Janashakthi test at the P. Sara Stadium, the visitors had stretched their lead to 46 runs with Andrew Hall and Herchelle Gibbs at the crease. Earlier, South Africa’s opening bowler Makhaya Nitini wrecked Sri Lanka’s top order and at one stage had four for 22 off 8 overs. Without taking any credit from Nitini it must be said that the dismissals of Upul Tharanga., Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene were nothing short of soft.

Nitini’s opening new ball partner Dale Steyn was taken out off the attack after opener Sanath Jayasuriya went after him. Steyn first over went for 14 runs. Shaun Pollock replaced Steyn and stemmed the run flow. Jayasuriya while on 26 survived a close when a misdirected drive went just past the outstretched gloves of wicket keeper Boucher.

Nitini was brought on for his second spell and in one over had the home side tottering. First he bowled Tillekeratne Dilshan with a snorter and then had Jayasuriya caught at slip by Herchelle Gibbs for 47. Steyn ended with a fiver for only the second time in his career. Speaking after the match Steyn said that the pitch offered more to the seamers than the SSC.

Vass meanwhile said that the coach had constantly been telling him to work on his batting. What was notable about Vass’s innings he said he had been working with Tom Moody on which deliveries to play and which to leave. He ended his brief interview by stating that Sri Lanka would try and restrict South Africa to around 250 runs.

Initially with the Lankan innings in tatters it was time for the young guns to fire and they did it in style. Chamara Kapugedera and stumper Prasanna Jayawardene got together. The pair put on a record sixth wicket stand of 105 runs. The previous best against the Proteas was 103 by Arjuna Ranatunge and Hashan Tillekeratne scored back in 1993 at Moratuwa.

Enter Vass and Maharoof. Vass as expected was the more assured of the two. Pollock who bowled well throughout the day was very unlucky when Amla at forward short leg put down a regulation chance with Maharoof. The total was 261 for 7 at the time. One could almost see fumes emanating from him as Maharoof promptly scored two successive fours off his next two balls.