Sri Lanka created history on Saturday (23 February) when they won the Test series in South Africa. After beating the host South Africa in the second and final Test match of the series at Port Elizabeth, the visitors won the series by 2-0.
After deciding to bat first, South Africa managed to score 222 in their first innings. In reply, Sri Lanka finished their first innings on just 154 runs.
Leading by 68 runs, the host started their second innings, but they were all out on just 128 runs. The visiting side lost only two wickets before chasing the target of 197 runs.
Earlier in this series, Sri Lanka won the first Test by only one wicket in a thrilling finish.
Brief Score: South Africa – 222 (Quinton de Kock 86, Aiden Markram 60; Vishwa Fernando 3/62) & 128 (Faf du Plessis 50*, Hashim Amla 32; Suranga Lakmal 4/39)
Sri Lanka – 154 (Niroshan Dickwella 42, Lahiru Thirimanne 29; Kagiso Rabada 4/38) & 197/2 (Kusal Mendis 84*, Oshada Fernando 75*, Duanne Olivier 1/46)
Result – Sri Lanka won by eight wickets
Here are some of the important stats concluded from the match:
South Africa
i) Four South African batsmen scored ducks in the first innings.
- It was the first time when more than three South African batsmen scored ducks in a same Test innings against Sri Lanka.
ii) A total of six different South African batsmen scored ducks in this Test match.
- It was the sixth time when more than five different South African batsmen scored ducks in a Test match. Before this match, last time it happened in November 1996 against India at Ahmedabad.
iii) South Africa was all out on 128 runs in their second innings.
- It is the lowest completed Test innings total for South Africa against Sri Lanka in South Africa. Their previous record was 168 at Durban in December 2011.
iv) South Africa only managed to score 350 runs before losing all 20 wickets.
- It was the second lowest completed Test match total for South Africa against Sri Lanka. The record is just 199 runs at Galle (July 2018).
Sri Lanka
v) Sri Lanka scored only 154 runs in their first innings.
- Since March 1997, it is the lowest completed first innings total for any side against South Africa that came in the winning cause.
vi) Sri Lanka won the match by eight wickets.
- It was Sri Lanka’s largest Test victory (by wickets) against South Africa. Previously, they won only by one wicket against South Africa twice.
vii) Sri Lanka won the Test series by 2-0.
- Sri Lanka is the first Asian team to win a Test series in South Africa.
- Also, Sri Lanka is the third side to win a Test series in South Africa. Only Australia and England are the other teams to win at least one Test series in South Africa.
Partnership
viii) In the fourth innings Sri Lankan batsmen Kusal Mendis & Oshada Fernando provided a 163-run partnership for the unbroken fourth wicket.
- It was the third highest fourth innings partnership for Sri Lanka. Their top two records are 216 between Roy Dias & Duleep Mendis (against India at Kandy in September 1985) and 189* between Aravinda de Silva & Arjuna Ranatunga (against Zimbabwe at Colombo, SSC in January 1998).