1. Steyn's Five-For Restricts Sri Lanka by
Cricket today
in Sports / Extreme Sports (submitted 2014-07-19)
Pace bowler Dale Steyn grabbed 5-50 to help restrict Sri Lanka to 283-9 in reply to South
Africa's first-innings score of 455-9 declared on day three of the first test. It was the 23rd five-
wicket haul in 73 tests for Steyn, who gained appreciable reverse swing to rip through the middle
order after taking two wickets in the first session. Steyn took 3-8 in a five-over spell in the post-
tea session as Sri Lanka slipped from 190-4 to 201-7 and stared at the prospect of following on.
Steyn was spot on during that five-over spell as Lahiru Thirimanne (38) was caught behind,
Dinesh Chandimal (8) pulled straight to short mid-wicket, and Dilruwan Perera (0) inside-edged
one to be caught behind. At the close, Rangana Herath was not out on 12 with last man
Shaminda Eranga due to come in as Sri Lanka was still 172 runs behind. Captain Angelo
Mathews produced a fine counter-offensive to save home blushes with another staunch innings
of 89 which came with the help of one six and 14 fours. Mathews once smashed Morne Morkel
for five fours in an over to get past the 50-run mark for the 15th time in his career. He added 71
for the eighth wicket with Herath in what was the best partnership of the innings.
The Sri Lanka middle order had been struggling to capitalize on opener Upul Tharanga's innings
of 83 before Mathews stepped up yet again. In sight of a century in a third straight test, Mathews
mistimed a sweep of Imran Tahir and sent the ball onto his stumps. He'd played 182 deliveries,
and gave legspinner Tahir his only wicket. Tharanga, 20 in an overnight score of 30 without loss,
marked his return to test cricket after more than six years with his fourth half century The left-
hander struck one six and 14 fours before he was stumped off spinner Jean-Paul Duminy after
facing 155 balls. His was the only wicket to fall in the middle session. Earlier, Steyn and Morkel
shared three wickets in the morning session to peg back the home side. Tharanga batted with
confidence well past lunch, adding 59 runs for the second wicket with Kumar Sangakkara, who
was out for 24. Tharanga passed 50 with two fours off an over from Duminy. He struck the off-
spinner past point and two deliveries later, straight down the ground, to move from 45 to 53. But
Sri Lanka was always under pressure from the early dismissals of Kaushal Silva and the
experienced pair of Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene in the first session. Silva was caught
by Vernon Philander at the long-leg boundary without adding to his overnight score of 8 as he
tried to hook Steyn. Sangakkara was out immediately after a brief 10-minute rain break as he
shaped for a pull off Morkel but played the ball on to the stumps. Jayawardene, who has
announced he will retire from tests next month, was trapped lbw by Steyn after making just 3.
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