South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder (L) celebrates after the dismissal of Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis (R) during the first day of the second Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg on January 3, 2021. (Photo by Phill MAGAKOE / AFP)
Mulder leaves Sri Lanka in tatters at lunch after incisive spell
Mulder claimed three wickets in three overs to peg back Sri Lanka after a quickfire half-century from opener Kusal Perera at the Wanderers.
South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder (L) celebrates after the dismissal of Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis (R) during the first day of the second Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg on January 3, 2021. (Photo by Phill MAGAKOE / AFP)
A superb spell from Proteas allrounder Wiaan Mulder helped reduce Sri Lanka to 84/5 by lunch on day one of the second Test at the Wanderers.
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first and after an early strike from Anrich Nortje removed skipper Dimuth Karunaratne for just two, the tourists fought back through Kusal Perera.
Perera struck a quickfire 60 to help Sri Lanka reach 71 for 1 with less than half an hour to go until the lunchbreak.
The introduction of Mulder changed the course of the session though as he first found the edge of Perera’s bat, only to see him dropped in the gully by Dean Elgar in his first over. Playing at his domestic home ground, Mulder found his line and length quickly and caused continuous problems in a three over spell.
Mulder got his man in his very next over, drawing an errant drive out of the left-handed opener, to have Perera caught in the gully now occupied by Aiden Markram with Elgar off the park having an injured hand attended to by medical staff.
Just four balls later, Mulder produced another peach to send Kusal Mendis packing for a four-ball duck.
In his third over Mulder dislodge Sri Lanka Lahiru Thirimanne (17) who was well caught by Faf du Plessis in the slip corden after poking at a delivery angled across him.
Nortje got back into the act just before lunch with a rising delivery that surprised debutant Minod Bhanuka and left Sri Lanka 84/5 at the break.
South Africa vs Sri Lanka – Scorecard day one: Lunch
SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS
| BATSMEN | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dimuth Karunaratne (c) | c †de Kock b Nortje | 2 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 6.25 |
| Kusal Perera | c Markram b Mulder | 60 | 67 | 11 | 0 | 89.55 |
| Lahiru Thirimanne | c du Plessis b Mulder | 17 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 56.67 |
| Kusal Mendis | c van der Dussen b Mulder | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Minod Bhanuka | c van der Dussen b Nortje | 5 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Niroshan Dickwella † | not out | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| TOTAL | (24 Ov, RR: 3.50) | 84/5 | ||||
| Yet to bat: Dasun Shanaka, PWH de Silva, Vishwa Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando | ||||||
| Fall of wickets: 1-19 (Dimuth Karunaratne, 9.5 ov), 2-71 (Kusal Perera, 20.1 ov), 3-71 (Kusal Mendis, 20.5 ov), 4-80 (Lahiru Thirimanne, 22.5 ov), 5-84 (Minod Bhanuka, 23.6 ov) |
| BOWLING | O | M | R | W | ECON | WD | NB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lungi Ngidi | 7 | 3 | 25 | 0 | 3.57 | 0 | 0 |
| Anrich Nortje | 8 | 1 | 33 | 2 | 4.13 | 0 | 0 |
| Lutho Sipamla | 6 | 1 | 25 | 0 | 4.17 | 0 | 0 |
| Wiaan Mulder | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0.33 | 0 | 0 |
