Rabada bowls South Africa to series win
Kagiso Rabada’s six-wicket haul helped South Africa crush Sri Lanka by 282 runs on the fourth day of the second Test at Newlands on Thursday (January 5). With the massive victory, South Africa took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Rabada, the paceman, took three wickets in two overs and finished with 6 for 55 to as Sri Lanka was bowled out for 224 all out in its chase of 507. South Africa wrapped up the win in less than two hours, claiming the remaining six wickets after Sri Lanka resumed on 130 for 4.
Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, the overnight pair, saw out the first five overs of the day but Rabada struck soon, triggering a collapse.
Rabada had Chandimal (30) in the first ball of the sixth over when the batsman flicked straight to Stephen Cook at square-leg.
Upul Tharanga began positively and hit Rabada for three fours but the paceman had the last laugh. Tharanga fell off the first ball of Rabada’s next over when he flashed at a wide delivery to be caught behind by Quinton de Kock.
Mathews then edged a lifting delivery from Rabada in the same over to de Kock after top-scoring with 49 off 82 balls, signalling the end of the Sri Lankan challenge.
Rabada soon had his fifth in identical fashion when Suranga Lakmal was caught behind. It was the fifth time in his 13-Test career that he had taken a five-wicket haul in an innings. Rabada ended with match figures of 10 for 92, his second ten-wicket haul in Tests.
Rangana Herath and Lahiru Kumara threw their bats and added 33 for the ninth wicket before Keshav Maharaj and Vernon Philander completed the formalities.
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(Courtesy: International Cricket Council)
