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20 Wednesday 2002
South Africa pull off tense win over Sri Lanka
CENTURION: South Africa scrambled to a tense three-wicket win over Sri Lanka on the fifth day of the second and
final Test at Centurion Park Tuesday.
South Africa, set to make 121 to win, crashed to 44 for five before Neil McKenzie played a crucial innings of 39 to
take his side to within nine runs of victory. South Africa won the series 2-0. They won the first Test in
Johannesburg by an innings and 64 runs.
It was South Africa's sixth win in seven Tests against Sri Lanka in South Africa. On a dramatic day, 14 wickets fell
for 189 runs. Sri Lankan fast bowler Dilhara Fernando took four wickets in a devastating opening spell. McKenzie
and Andrew Hall put on 29 for the sixth wicket before wicketkeeper and vice-captain Mark Boucher helped McKenzie
add 39 for the seventh wicket.
As the tension mounted, Sri Lankan fast bowler Chamila Gamage received an official warning from umpire Daryl
Harper for walking into McKenzie between overs. Sri Lanka lost seven wickets for 65 runs Tuesday, collapsing from
an overnight 180 for three to be dismissed for 245. Makhaya Ntini and Jacques Kallis both took four wickets.
South Africa took two wickets in the first ten balls of the day to expose the Sri Lankan tail, exactly as South
African captain Shaun Pollock had said would be the objective when he spoke to the media Monday evening. Ntini
struck with the first ball of the day when Mahela Jayawardene was given out leg before for 40 by umpire Russell
Tiffin, although the batsman appeared to be outside the line of the stumps when the ball hit his pad. Pollock
completed a dismal series for Russel Arnold in the next over when Arnold was trapped on his crease and was
another leg before victim. Arnold made six runs in four innings during the series.
Ntini took his fourth wicket of the innings and his eighth of the match when Hasantha Fernando hooked him to deep
backward square leg. Ntini finished with four for 52. Kallis took two wickets off successive balls in his first over of
the day. He had first innings century-maker Hashan Tillakaratne caught behind off an inside edge after making six
runs in 79 minutes, then had Chamila Gamage caught at first slip. Chaminda Vaas and Dilhara Fernando added 36 for
the ninth wicket to give the tourists a glimmer of hope. South Africa lost Graeme Smith leg before to Vaas off the
first ball of the innings before Fernando sent the home team crashing to 44 for five by dismissing Herschelle Gibbs,
Gary Kirsten, Kallis and Ashwell Prince.
Andrew Hall, promoted from number nine, batted aggressively and scored 16 before he was caught at short leg off
Muttiah Muralitharan. South Africa still needed 48 to win when Boucher joined McKenzie but both batsmen played
positively to take their side towards victory.
McKenzie was bowled when he went back to a ball from Muralitharan which skidded through. He scored 39 off 53
balls with four fours. Pollock came in and hit the winning runs when, with the scores level, he went down the
wicket and hit Muralitharan for four over mid-on. Fernando finished with four for 49 while Muralitharan took two for
35.
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