Sporting declaration by Hashim Amla:

Sri Lanka need another 260

By Elmo Rodrigopulle

Set a challenging target of 370 for victory in four sessions, Sri Lanka were 110 for one wicket still requiring another 260 runs at the end of the fourth day of the First Test against South Africa, here today.

South Africa 455 and 206 for 6 declared. Sri Lanka 292 and 110 for one.

Sri Lanka were given four sessions at a get 90 runs a session declaration and Kaushal Silva and Kumar Sangakkara were at the wickets with 37 and 58 respectively. Silva had 5 fours and Sangakkara 9 fours and one six. Upul Tharnga was out caught behind by De Kock off Dale Steyn flashing at a ball outside off stump for 14 at 14.

An interesting final day’s play is on the cards. As it stands the game is nicely poised and it is said that those who dare win. The Lankans have the batsmen who could dare. Let’s see how they will go.The wicket is playing okay and how it plays on the final day will matter.

The declaration by Hashim Amla could be termed sporting and one which has given both teams an even go, although a victory for South Africa looks more likely. But then you never can tell.

While the three SA pacemen will be fearsome, the bowler who could have Sri Lanka in a spin, I think is leggie Imran Thahir. But he is bowling too fast and flat. If he gives it a bit more air, he could obtain more spin. Even left arm spinner Elgar could be a good bet.

Enjoying a cuppa, with my former cricketing club mate at Saracens Aubrey Kuruppu, who is now doing radio commentary we were hazarding a guess as to the target Amla would set Sri Lanka.

The former left hand batsman said anything around 400 would be gettable what with Sri Lanka’s strong batting line up. Bu I disagreed saying that with the strong visitors bowling attack it would not be possible what with the wicket beginning to take quick spin.

But after tea and going back to our respective jobs, we were surprised to learn that Amla had declared. It remains to be seen how the Lankan batmen will take it from here. Advantage South Africa it was when play began with Sri Lanka 283 for 9 in reply to the visitors 455 for 9 declared- trailing by 172 runs on day four.

Sri Lanka padded up the injured Shamind Eranga and sent him in with Rangana Herath to resume the innings.

Apparently the idea was to consume more time. But the time consumed was just 24 minutes, before Herath was taken by a diving Abraham de Villiers at slip off Mornie Morkel who was mauled for 5 fours in an over by Angelo Mathews on Friday.

Herath made 19 and Eranga whose right hand was jarred by a delivery from Steyn and who suffered pain remained unbeaten on one.

Sri Lanka were all out for 292 in 14.5 overs, conceding a formidable lead of 163 runs.

Destroyer of the Lankan innings Steyn could not add to his 5 wicket haul and Morkel finished with 3 for 49 and ‘cheat’ Vernon Philander did not bowl, probably as a punishment.

With a lead of 163 and sitting pretty, the South African openers Dean Elgar the first innings century maker and Alviro Petersen did not show much urgency in going for runs early on as there was no hurry.

With no Shaminda Eranga, Mathews was forced to ask left arm spinner Rangana Herath to share the new ball with Suranga Lakmal. Why Mathews did not come on was inexplicable.

Captain Mathews put the onus on the visitors batsmen by quite rightly setting defensive fields and getting his bowlers to bowl on one side of the wicket thus making run getting difficult.

After putting on 33 runs, Elgar attempting to drive a pitched up delivery from Herath got a touch for wicket keeper Dinesh Chandimal to gobble the snick. Elgar made 12.

Faf du Plesiss joined Petersen who was looking for runs and took the score to 54 when Petersen was caught behind off Dilruwa Perera for 32 with 4 fours.

Du Plessis and Captain Amla took the score to 63 for 2 with Du Plessis on 8 and Amla on 7 and in a good frame of mind at lunch- a lead of 226.

After lunch and with dismissals of Hashim Amla for 22 and Faf du Plessis for 37, De Villiers and De Kock quickened the scoring.

They reached the boundary with ease and although Herath and Perera tried to slow the scoring, the batsmen used the switch hit to get more runs.

Amla went, when he failed to keep an on-drive down and was caught by a diving Tharanga off Perera. It was not a good first match for Captain Amla who failed in both innings.

Du Plessis was bowled by Herath for 37 De Villiers was the more aggressive and played something like a one-day innings getting his 51 in 58 deliveries with 6 fours. He found the gaps for singles and hit the fours when the loose balls came along.

De Villiers was bowled off his legs by Perera and then with four deliveries remaining before tea De Kock was caught and bowled by Perera for 36 and Amla surprisingly declared at the tea score of 206 for 9 leaving Sri Lanka 370 to chase for an unlikely victory in the remaining 31 overs and three sessions today.

To recap: Before play began on the crucial penultimate day, the bad news to greet us was the dirty and unsporting tactics resorted to by South African paceman Vernon Philander who was accused and charged of ball tampering.

Now at this level and with South Africa having the better of the exchanges in the Test, why Philander had to disgrace himself, the team, his Cricket Board, the game and the good name of his country is inexplicable.

TV footage had spied him changing the conditions of the ball by scratching it with his fingers and thumb, thus breaching the ICC Code of Conduct and was fined 75 per cent of his match fee.

But me thinks the charge is too light a punishment.

The South African Cricket Board which has an unblemished, admirable and exemplary record of always playing the game and maintaining its lofty traditions must recall Philander and slap a ‘cricketing leper’ tag on him.

SCOREBOARD
South Africa 1st innings 455-9 dec
Sri Lanka 1st innings 283
South Africa 2nd innings

Dean Elgar c Chandimal b Herath 		12
Alviro Petersen c Chandimal b Perera 		32
Faf du Plessis b Herath 			37
Hashim Amla c Tharanga b Perera  		22
AB de Villiers b Perera  			51
Quinton de Kock c & b Perera 			36
JP Duminy not out 				08
Extras (b 4, lb 4) 				08
TOTAL (6 wickets dec; 50.2 overs) 	       206

Fall of wickets: 1-33 (Elgar), 2-54 (Petersen), 3-88 (Amla)
		 4-131 (de Plessis), 5-193 (de Villiers)
		 6-206 (de Kock)
Bowling: Lakmal 9-0-35-0
	 Herath 22-2-84-2
	 Perera 19.2-1-79-4

Sri Lanka 2nd innings (target 370)
Upul Tharanga c de Kock b Steyn 		14
Kaushal Silva not out 				37
Kumar Sangakkara not out 			58
Extras (lb 1) 					01
TOTAL (1 wicket; 32 overs) 		       110

Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Tharanga)
Bowling: Steyn 6-2-18-1
	 Philander 6-3-13-0
	 Morkel 4-1-13-0
	 Tahir 10-1-40-0
	 Duminy 5-1-24-0
	 Elgar 1-0-1-0