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Faf du Plessis fell by 199 to miss the first test of his career in the double century, but that was the only disappointment for South Africa as they took full control of the first test against an injury-stricken Sri Lankan team.
Du Plessis’ career best score sent South Africa to 621 on Monday (Tuesday New Zealand time) at SuperSport Park on day three and a 225-run lead in the first inning. Sri Lanka’s difficult position was compounded by the fact that five players were injured in the first three days of the test, three of them ruled out for the remainder of the match.
Du Plessis’s big hundred, and half a century of four other South African hitters, wiped out Sri Lanka’s early lead. Tourists made 396 on their first innings, their best total in South Africa, and were feeling good about their chances after the first day and a half at Centurion.
Catherine Kotze / AP
Dhananjaya de Silva left the field on the first day, but it was only the beginning of Sri Lanka’s injury crisis against South Africa.
Those positive Sri Lankan vibes disappeared at the end of the third day.
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The South Africans also made inroads onto the field in the 12 overs they threw off the stumps when Lungi Ngidi struck twice in the space of two overs at the end of the day. Sri Lanka was 65-2 in their second inning and still 160 behind when Dinesh Chandimal (21 not out) limped off alongside Kusal Perera (33 not out).
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South African batsman Faf du Plessis fell by 199, his highest score in testing.
Chandimal reached the edge of the course before a doctor picked him up in a golf cart and took him away, Sri Lanka’s latest concern in what could be the worst injury streak for a team in a test.
“The way that [the injuries] I went today, I had never seen that, ” said Sri Lanka hitting coach Grant Flower.
Silva’s all-rounder Dhananjaya and fast bowlers Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara were definitely ruled out for the rest of the game, Flower said, while Wanindu Hasaranga and Chandimal would be tested overnight. De Silva was injured while batting on the first day, Rajitha walked away after throwing just 13 deliveries on the second day and the other three were injured on Monday.
Catherine Kotze / AP
The Sri Lankan players congratulated Faf du Plessis when South Africa assumed a leadership position on the third day.
Flower said the lack of four-day cricket in Sri Lanka in the run-up to this two-test tour due to the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to mean that the players weren’t fit. It was unclear how many Sri Lankans would be able to hit the field to hit on the fourth day. Flower said that all that was left now was for the fit players to show some determination.
“You can’t be a chicken. You have to go out and fight, ”he said.
Du Plessis made the most of Sri Lanka’s exhausted bowling attack to score his career-best 24 fours. Released from the pressure of being captain, it was du Plessis’s first test since he left the position of skipper, he made his first hundred test in two years and the tenth of his career.
Catherine Kotze / AP
Faf du Plessis previously celebrated his first century of testing since leaving South Africa’s test captain.
He was not the only one to profit. Dean Elgar had 95 and Aiden Markram 68 at his starting position of 141 races on Sunday. Temba Bavuma hit 71 in a 179-run position with du Plessis, and then runner Keshav Maharaj added to the pain for the Sri Lankans with his best test score of 73.
It looked like du Plessis’s double century would end the South Africans’ day, but, needing a run for his 200, he tried to hit over and threw a catch to Sri Lanka’s captain Dimuth Karunaratne midway.
