November 18 Monday 2002
Pollock, Boucher put South Africa on top

CENTURION, South Africa: A century stand by captain Shaun Pollock and vice-captain Mark Boucher put South Africa on top on the third day of the second and final Test against Sri Lanka at Centurion Park here Sunday.

South Africa were 421 for nine at the close, a first innings lead of 98, after Pollock and Boucher put on 132 to set a record seventh wicket partnership for matches between the two countries.

The stand swung the fortunes of a match which had been finely balanced for much of the day as the tourists kept a stranglehold on the South African batsmen in their bid to earn a series-levelling win.

At one stage, South Africa had lost four top-order wickets and were scoring at a rate of barely two an over for the day. But Pollock (78 not out) and Boucher (63) lifted the tempo with positive batting, scoring their 132 runs in 171 minutes off 244 balls.

Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lanka's star off-spinner, moved into third place on the all-time Test wicket-taking list when he took two wickets to take his tally to 435.

Muralitharan had to wait until his 50th over before taking his first wicket of the match, trapping Andrew Hall leg before wicket, after conceding 108 runs. It put him level on 434 with Kapil Dev of India.

Two overs later he had Steve Elworthy caught at silly mid-off. He finished the day with two for 116 from 53 overs. Sri Lanka played themselves into contention when they dismissed Herschelle Gibbs (92) and Jacques Kallis (84), South Africa's two most prolific batsmen this season, in the first hour of play.

Gibbs was run out for 92 after a mix-up with Kallis left him stranded in mid-pitch. The pair put on 140 for the third wicket, a South African record against Sri Lanka.

Gibbs pushed Muralitharan, bowling around the wicket, to the off-side and set off for a risky single.

Kallis sent him back and Gibbs slipped as he turned, leaving an easy run-out for Muralitharan, who scampered about seven metres to pick up and throw to wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara.

Neither batsman had looked in any trouble but there was another shock for South Africa 26 balls later when medium-pacer Hasantha Fernando bowled Kallis with his first delivery of the day.

The ball swung in slightly and straightened off the pitch, Kallis played across the line and the ball hit his off-stump. Gibbs batted for 314 minutes, faced 216 balls and hit 11 fours, while Kallis was in for 226 minutes, received 196 balls and hit nine fours.

The scoring rate slowed as Ashwell Prince and Neil McKenzie, both battling for form at international level, eked out another 39 runs for the fifth wicket in 87 minutes, scoring at less than two an over.

The left-handed Prince was caught behind for 20 when he tried to turn Chaminda Vaas to leg and got a top edge, while McKenzie was lbw to Chamila Gamage when he played across the line.

The experience of Pollock and Boucher enabled them to take the fight to the bowlers, with both men using their feet and looking to play attacking shots, as well as pushing for quick singles.

Boucher fell to Gamage when he drove the ball straight back at the bowler but Pollock was unbeaten at the close, after facing 140 balls. He hit eight fours and hooked Dilhara Fernando for six off the fifth ball of the final over of the day.