Gqeberha, Dec 9 (IANS): After South Africa secured a commanding 109-run victory over Sri Lanka in the second Test at St George’s Park on Monday, taking a major stride forward in their quest for the World Test Championship (WTC) final skipper Temba Bavuma, who was named Player of the Series for his exceptional performance with the bat, emphasized the importance of the victory for his developing side.
The hard-fought win, achieved by a largely inexperienced side under captain Bavuma, came on the fifth day of a match that kept both teams on edge until the closing moments.
“For a lot of the guys, it was a proper taste of what Test cricket is about,” said Bavuma after the series win. “It’s rare when you get to play for five days and rarer still when the game is always in the balance. There were times when we were on top, and times when Sri Lanka had the momentum.”
South Africa's win was built on contributions across the board. Bavuma led from the front, amassing 327 runs in the series, including a century and three fifties, but he was quick to highlight the team effort. Three South Africans scored centuries during the series, while three bowlers claimed five-wicket hauls.
“It’s always a good sign when guys are putting in match-winning performances,” Bavuma said. “It speaks to the hunger and desire amongst the team.”
With this victory, South Africa climbed to the top of the WTC table, putting them in pole position to qualify for the final at Lord’s in England next June.
“The championship table looks good,” Bavuma remarked at the post-match presentation. “We see ourselves at number one with two games to go. I don’t know what the maths looks like, but we’re playing good cricket and we want it to continue.”
The Proteas will now turn their focus to a two-match series against Pakistan starting on December 26, a crucial assignment that could seal their spot in the WTC final.
Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva lauded his team’s improvement compared to their performance in the first Test in Durban, where they suffered a 233-run defeat and were skittled out for just 42 in their first innings.
“The guys fought hard but it was not good enough,” de Silva said. “The bowling attack that South Africa had kept asking questions. We’re getting better in away Test matches, but we need to be 100 percent better in every department.”
Sri Lanka’s hopes of an upset win were pinned on de Silva and Kusal Mendis, who resumed on 205 for five, needing 143 more runs to chase down South Africa's target of 348. However, those hopes were dashed within the first 10 overs of the day.
Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj struck early, dismissing Mendis for 46 with a sharp catch at slip by Aiden Markram. Maharaj, who finished with figures of 5/76, was the chief architect of Sri Lanka’s collapse.
Kagiso Rabada added to Sri Lanka’s woes by removing de Silva for 50, exposing the tail. The last three wickets fell in quick succession, with Maharaj adding two more scalps and Marco Jansen closing the match with his first ball of the day, inducing a wild slog from Lahiru Kumara that was easily caught.
Sri Lanka lost their final five wickets for just 33 runs, folding for 239 and handing South Africa a comprehensive victory.