Sri Lanka suffered a historic collapse, bowled out for 42 runs, the lowest in Test history, as South Africa’s Marco Jansen shined with 7-13. This led to South Africa gaining a commanding 281-run lead on day two of the first Test at Kingsmead. Sri Lanka’s previous low was 71 runs, and significant batting flaws contributed to this performance.
In a historic display of bowling prowess, South Africa’s Marco Jansen led his team to dismiss Sri Lanka for a record-low Test total of 42. This astounding performance at Kingsmead enabled South Africa to establish a commanding lead of 281 runs by the end of the second day of the first Test match. Jansen’s extraordinary achievement consisted of a career-best 7 wickets for just 13 runs, as Sri Lanka crumbled in under 14 overs, with a staggering 19 wickets falling on that lively pitch.
South Africa had batted first and ended at 191 all out before Sri Lanka, severely underperforming, lurched to this unprecedented score. Jansen’s feat places him alongside former Australian captain Hugh Trumble, who achieved a similar milestone in 1904. Remarkably, Jansen’s 7-13 came from only 41 deliveries, which showcases his extraordinary skill and accuracy. He claimed three wickets bowled, took three in the slips, and completed the innings by catching the last man.
This low score marks Sri Lanka’s ninth lowest innings in Test history, surpassing their previous low of 71 against Pakistan three decades ago, and it stands as the lowest recorded total at Kingsmead, beating Bangladesh’s total of 53 from March 2022. Contributing to this collapse were horrendous batting performances from Sri Lankan players, with Kamindu Mendis being the top scorer with only 13 runs, while five teammates failed to score at all.
In contrast, Temba Bavuma led South Africa’s first innings with a score of 70, returning from an elbow injury, supported by Aiden Markram who added 47 runs in their second innings. As the match progresses, South Africa remains poised to pursue victory and solidify their position in the World Test Championship final next June.
The article reports on a historic cricket match where Sri Lanka set a new record for the lowest Test innings score, bowled out for only 42 runs. This performance came against South Africa, particularly featuring Marco Jansen, who took 7 wickets in a stunning display of fast bowling. The context of the match, the conditions at Kingsmead, and the performance of individual players such as Temba Bavuma and Kamindu Mendis are critical to understanding the significance of this event in the realm of cricket.
This match has not only highlighted the exceptional bowling talent of Marco Jansen but has also underscored the considerable challenges faced by the Sri Lankan team. With their record low total, Sri Lanka must critically assess their batting techniques and strategies to prevent such future inadequacies. South Africa, on the other hand, stands to gain substantial momentum as they advance towards the World Test Championship final, leveraging their dominant performance in this match.
Original Source: www.cricket.com.au
