South Africa bowled out for 73, their lowest Test total since re-admission

Sri Lanka off-spinner Dilruwan Perera took six wickets in the second innings for a match-haul of 10, as the hosts registered a thumping 278-run win over South Africa inside three days of the opening Test on Saturday.

South Africa were all out for 73 in their second innings, the worst for them in Sri Lanka. It was also the Proteas’ lowest total in Test cricket since their readmission in cricket in 1991. South Africa’s 73 was also the lowest innings total by a team against Sri Lanka.

They were bundled out for 126 in the first innings on Friday, their previous lowest total in the island nation.

Co-incidentally, South Africa have suffered this humiliating loss in the very next series since their go-to-man AB de Villiers’ retirement from international cricket.

It was also for the first time when Sri Lanka have bagged 20 wickets in a Test for less than 200 runs.

Perera followed up his first-innings figures of 4 for 46 with six for 32 in the second, his best bowling figures in Tests, with veteran left-arm spinner Rangana Herath picking up three.
 

Earlier, Sri Lanka were all out for 190 in their second innings, leaving South Africa a target of 352 on a surface providing lot of turn for the spinners. Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj took 4-58 for the touring side.