November 16 Saturday 2002
Tillakaratne restores SL pride

CENTURION, South Africa: Veteran Hashan Tillakaratne anchored a solid batting performance as Sri Lanka recovered their pride on the first day of the second and final Test against South Africa at Centurion Park Friday.

Sri Lanka were 263 for six at the close after being sent in. Tillakaratne was unbeaten on 82. The odds seemed stacked against Sri Lanka after South Africa captain Shaun Pollock won the toss and sent them in on a pitch which looked similar to the surface on which they suffered defeat by an innings and 64 runs inside three days in the first Test at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

Tall left-hander Jehan Mubarak, who replaced injured captain, Sanath Jayasuriya, set the tone for an improved Sri Lankan performance with a solid 48. Mubarak, 21, was playing in only his second Test but batted impressively and with composure.

Kumar Sangakkara (35) and Mahela Jayawardene (44) also made useful scores but Tillakaratne was the hero. The left-hander, 35, continued a remarkable comeback after his career seemed over when he was one of the casualties of Sri Lanka's unsuccessful 1999 World Cup campaign, being dropped from both the Sri Lankan one-day and Test teams. He was recalled when the selectors decided they needed more stability in the middle order. Tillakaratne survived one chance, on 35, when he cut Pollock hard to Jacques Kallis at second slip. He batted for 241 minutes and faced 181 balls. The majority of his 15 fours were hit through the covers or played off his toes to midwicket.

Although the pitch had a good covering of grass, it lacked the pace and bounce of the Wanderers last weekend and it was a struggle for the bowlers. Pollock was the most impressive, taking two for 40 off 23 overs.

All-rounder Jacques Kallis also took two wickets but he was expensive, conceding 71 runs off 15 overs. The only early success for South Africa was when stand-in captain Marvan Atapattu was out for 17 after he and Mubarak put on 34 for the first wicket in 67 minutes. Atapattu mistimed a hook against Kallis and the ball looped gently to Gary Kirsten at short leg.

The tempo increased as Sangakkara and Mubarak added 56 in 52 minutes for the second wicket before Andrew Hall had Sangakkara caught by Pollock at first slip immediately before lunch.

Mubarak was out soon after lunch when he edged a ball from Pollock to Graeme Smith at first slip. Jayawardene and Tillakaratne consolidated in an 81-run fourth wicket stand which lasted for two hours before Jaywardene was bowled off an inside edge off Pollock and Russel Arnold was caught behind off Kallis.

But all-rounder Hasantha Fernando, who made a "pair" in his first Test at the Wanderers, helped Tillakaratne add 56 for the sixth wicket, scoring 24 and surviving eight overs with the second new ball before fending Makhaya Ntini to second slip two overs from the close.

Opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs, who was a late withdrawal from the first Test after suffering a back spasm shortly before the start of play, returned for South Africa in place of Martin van Jaarsveld. Sri Lanka picked right-arm pace bowler Chamila Gamage ahead of left-armer Ruchira Perera.