Bavuma rides luck as Sri Lanka have Proteas in deep trouble on day 1

South Africa reached lunch in deep trouble on 80/4 on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka, struggling in dreadful batting conditions against a disciplined attack at Kingsmead on Wednesday. 

The home team’s captain Temba Bavuma, who survived two chances, was 28 not out when rain brought a premature end to the morning session after Sri Lanka put the Proteas in to bat. Kyle Verreynne, who’d come into this Test on the back of making three consecutive ducks, was on nine. 

Sri Lanka had smiles on their faces, taking advantage of cloudy overhead conditions, which led to the venue’s floodlights being switched on from the start of play and a pitch that provided plenty of bounce and movement for the new ball. 

The two Fernandos, Vishwa and Asitha, made good use of those elements, each snagging a Proteas opener in the first half-hour. Aiden Markram, who’d struck two delightful drives, was caught at first slip by Angelo Mathews off Asitha Fernando for nine. Two balls later, Tony de Zorzi edged left-armer Vishwa to a diving Kamindu Mendis at second slip. 

With the ball nipping alarmingly, Sri Lankan skipper Dhanajaya de Silva would have delighted in winning the toss and while four wickets was deserved rewards for his bowlers’ endeavours, he selfishly would have liked more.

Bavuma, playing with a salmon-pink arm sleeve which covered bandaging on his left elbow, was dropped by former skipper Dimuth Karunatne when he had one. It was a difficult chance, low down at third slip, but the looks on Karunatne's teammates' faces suggested it was an opportunity that should have been grasped. 

However, given the light, picking up the ball would have been as difficult for the fielders as for the batters. Tristan Stubbs was clearly not comfortable when facing Lahiru Kumara from what was previously known as the Old Fort Road End and engaged in an animated discussion about the sight screen on that side of the ground. 

As with most venues in South Africa, Kingsmead has an electronic screen that plays adverts between overs and occasionally there is trouble switching back to white when the batters are on strike. It was also creating a glare, which made judgment difficult for Stubbs against Sri Lanka’s tallest and fastest bowler. 

He edged the first ball after his chat with the umpires to Karunratne, who needed his thighs to help him secure the ball, leaving a dejected Stubbs, who had fought manfully, to trudge off the field after scoring 16. 

David Bedingham was beaten by a Lahiru delivery that nipped back through his defences after he’d scored four.

Bavuma was given a reprieve, when, given the circumstances, he made an awful error of judgment attempting to hook a bouncer from Lahiru, with the edge taken behind by wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis, but fortunately for Bavuma, Lahiru had overstepped the front line. 

Lahiru had taken 2/35 in four overs, which demonstrated his inconsistency but also the threat he posed. 

Better weather is expected for the remainder of the Test but South Africa will hope they can scrape together a meaningful total and that their bowlers can get stuck into the Sri Lankan batting while conditions still favour bowling.