Sri Lanka Caught Philandering in Centurion

Philander took 5-53

It's been a tragic year for Sri Lanka and a defeat by an innings and 81 runs at Super Sports Park in Centurion  - their second worst in South Africa - hasn't changed that any. With a Boxing Day Test yet to play in Durban, the prospects of an improvement aren't great. It was their seventh defeat in 8 matches in South Africa, where they are still without a win. In fact, Hashan Tillerkaratne remains their only batsmen to score a century on African soil. Former skippers Marvin Attapatu (a man with six double centuries in his record), Mahela Jayawardene (centuries at Lords) and Kumar Sangakkara (consistently ranked in the top five batsmen in the world) have all failed dismally on any trip there.

After a six month break, they resumed Tests against England in May and haven't won any of the 10 Tests they have played. Flat pitches and weather have saved them often and have limited the damage to draws but losses to England, Australia, Pakistan and now South Africa have highlighted their aging batsmen and the inability of their bowlers to make enough of an impact.

Jayawardene run out attempting
his 10 000th Test run

After Mark Boucher and Imran Tahir added 61 for the last wicket and took the South African total out of reach, Sri Lanka collapsed to 4-37 inside fifteen overs, with Dilshan, Sangakkara and Jayawardene all gone. Jayawardene undid himself, dropping the ball down the pitch and setting off as fast as his old legs would carry him, only to be run out by a metre as the bowler, Kallis, followed through, swivelled and threw down the wicket at the bowlers end. The calamity leaves him stranded on 9 999 Test runs. Angelo Mathews and Thilan Samaraweera followed soon after and at 6-70 it was just a mopping up operation. The tail put some spirit into but were never going to survive long against Steyn and Philander.

Vernon Philander was superb again and finished with match figures of 10-102. In three Tests, he has 24 wickets at 12 and hasn't even bowled 100 overs yet! It's an easy game this Test cricket. He looms as a major strike weapon for the England tour. If he can swing and seam the ball in South Africa he should be deadly in in English conditions. He was suitably named Man of the Match, although AB deVilliers four hour 99 would have been a reasonable alternative.