COLOMBO, 16 August 2004 — Sri Lanka left-armer Chaminda Vaas took six for 29 in the second Test yesterday to help Sri Lanka to a 313-run victory and their first series win over South Africa.
Sri Lanka, missing spinner Muttiah Muralitharan with a shoulder injury, won the two-match series 1-0 after the first Test in Galle was drawn.
“We all knew that we had not won a series against these guys and we were determined to achieve it this time,” said Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu. “We have come together as a group and we are performing well as a unit.”
The touring side, who started the day on 21 for two, chasing a huge 493-run target, crumbled to 36 for five after losing three wickets in the first half hour. A fighting 101-run sixth-wicket stand between Boeta Dippenaar (59 not out) and Mark Boucher (51) held up the Sri Lankans until Vaas returned for a second spell after lunch.
Using his reverse swing Vaas made further inroads and South Africa lost their last five wickets for 42 runs. Their 179 was their lowest total against Sri Lanka.
“Having people like Vaas is fantastic because he is not only effective with the new ball. He can also be dangerous with the ball as he showed today. It was also encouraging to see (Lasith) Malinga and the spinners chipping in,” Atapattu added.
“It was a big ask to win a series without Murali. We haven’t won many without him. It showed how focused the guys are.”
After an early start, Jacques Kallis (3) lasted just three balls in the morning before being surprised by a Vaas delivery that lifted sharply from a good length. He was caught at slip.
Malinga struck next when South Africa captain Graeme Smith, who had battled for 65 minutes for his 17, gloved an attempted pull on to his thigh and was caught at backward short leg. Five balls later Jacques Rudolph, a centurion in Galle, succumbed tamely for the second time in the match with a top-edged pull that was safely pouched by Malinga at long leg.
Dippenaar and Boucher steadied the innings with a two-and-a-half hour partnership either side of lunch.
Vaas’ second spell proved crucial as Boucher’s 132-ball resistance was ended when he nicked a leg-cutter and was caught behind. Shaun Pollock (3) fell in the next over to leave the tourists on 140 for seven. Vaas then trapped left-hander Nicky Boje (16) lbw with an indipper and two balls later had Makhaya Ntini caught behind for a duck. Malinga wrapped up the win, catching Nantie Hayward for one off his own bowling to finish with three for 54 from 13 overs.
“We had the ability to bat all day, but credit to Chaminda (Vaas) for showing some of our fast bowlers how to come and do it on these kind of pitches,” Smith told reporters.
“The players on the field just haven’t performed well enough in the last couple of games, including the end of the last season.
“We are not doing a good enough job at the moment. We were not hungry enough and did not want to win as much as they wanted to win — we let ourselves down.” Smith added.
A five-match one-day series between the two sides starts on Aug. 20.
