Sri Lanka is touring South Africa for a two-match Test series, and the first day's play of the first Test match in Durban was washed out due to rain after just 20 overs were bowled. Day 2 began with better weather, and the Sri Lankan bowlers were dominant as the surface provided significant assistance. They managed to dismiss South Africa for a total of 190 runs, with Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara each taking three wickets, leading Sri Lanka’s bowling attack. Temba Bavuma, the South African captain, played a noteworthy innings, scoring 70 runs off 117 balls and helping South Africa reach a respectable score.
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South African Pacers Day Out
Next, it was Sri Lanka's turn to bat in tough conditions, facing the new ball from Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. The pitch offered good bounce, and both tall bowlers exploited the Sri Lankan batsmen's difficulties in timing their shots. Marco Jansen made the first breakthrough, dismissing Dimuth Karunaratne for just 2 runs off 8 balls. Rabada followed up by claiming the wicket of Pathum Nissanka shortly thereafter.
The Sri Lankan batting order struggled against both bowlers, with Jansen continuing to lead the attack by taking wickets in each of his overs. He reduced Sri Lanka to a disastrous 32/5, with Gerald Coetzee joining the attack to trouble the Sri Lankan batsmen further. Jansen remarkably dismissed five Sri Lankan batsmen for a duck, completing his five-wicket haul in just five overs, which is the second-fastest by a South African pacer in Test history, behind Vernon Philander, who achieved it in just four overs.
Marco Jansen Record Breaking Figures
The carnage continued, as none of the Sri Lankan batsmen, except Kamindu Mendis (13) and Lahiru Kumara (10), managed to reach double figures against South Africa's fierce pace attack. Coetzee added two more wickets to his tally, while Marco Jansen ended the innings with an impressive 7 wickets for just 13 runs, marking the third-best figures by a South African bowler in a single innings and making him only the second bowler in Test cricket history to take 7 wickets in fewer than seven overs.
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With this record-breaking performance, Sri Lanka was bowled out for 42 runs, their lowest-ever total in Test history, after just 83 balls. Jansen's bowling showcased an exceptional combination of skill and class, allowing him to utilize the surface to his advantage effectively. The Sri Lankan batsmen struggled to defend against him, and with this outstanding display, South Africa took a solid lead of 153 runs heading into their second innings.