A scintillating 292-run stand between Hashim Amla – playing his hundredth Test match – and JP Duminy, put South Africa firmly in the driver's seat on Day 1 at Johannesburg. Although Duminy was dismissed in the penultimate over by Kumara for 155, the total had swelled to 338/3 by the end of the day.
Dean Elgar and Stephen Cook had got the South Africans off to a promising start on a lush green pitch after Faf du Plessis surprisingly opted to bat first. Although the duo were dismissed in quick succession, a fluent Duminy and a sedate Amla took South Africa to safe shores before forming a partnership that could define the result of this game.
TheSri Lankan bowlers looked short of ideas despite the pitch offering enough movement to encourage Lakmal and co. They were all over the place and failed to contain a flamboyant JP Duminy, who has thoroughly enjoyed his stint at no.4.
With a long batting line-up and four potent seamers at their disposal, Lanka will have tiresome days awaiting them unless they find some much-needed motivation.
Take a glance at the talking points from Day 1 at Johannesburg.
#5 South Africa bring in 4 pacers
On a lush green wicket at one of the quickest venues in the country, South Africa were expected to play four seam bowlers. But having lost Kyle Abbott in the midst of the series and with Keshav Maharaj doing a pretty good job, the possibility had dimmed.
Their bowling coach, Charl Laangveldt, had stressed that Maharaj did an excellent job of tidying up from one end, which in turn also gave Rabada a license to attack. Instead, South Africa ended up handing a debut to Duanne Olivier and beefing up their variety by including Wayne Parnell.
Parnell last played against the Aussies at home, where he picked two in his first over but walked off injured after bowling eight overs in the Test. Olivier is domestic cricket's Shaun Pollock and deserved a chance on a fast Jo'burg pitch.
#4 Faf du Plessis springs a surprise by batting first
One thing that back-to-back series wins does for a team is bring in confidence. du Plessis showed how confident the Proteas were, despite the recent Kolpak signings, by choosing to bat first on a green pitch with overcast skies.
The conditions were most suitable for bowling first and with four terrific quick bowlers at his disposal, du Plessis had no reason to bat first. But he did. And his men responded in tremendous fashion.
If Elgar and Cook saw off the new ball threat efficiently, Duminy continued to show how fanciful he can be when on song, with some exquisite shots. Amla, on the other hand, remained calm to notch up a must needed hundred.
#3 Duminy hundred makes it difficult for selectors
JP Duminy has been enjoying his run at no. 4 in the absence of the regular no. 4, AB de Villiers. He scored a fantastic 141 against the Aussies in Perth and looked at his best in Port Elizabeth against the Lankans.
He has been taking up the additional responsibility seriously, and the southpaw has looked a completely different batsman since his promotion up the batting order. He came in with the side two down and with a shaky Amla at the other end, and went on to make 155 before being dismissed in the second last over of the day.
The spinning all-rounder looked classy as he raced at almost run a ball to a half-century, instilling confidence in Amla as well, who fed off him to help foster the partnership. With this kind of form, the selection committee would have a tough time dropping him when de Villiers comes back.
#2 Lahiru Kumara gives Lanka hope
The 19-year-old seamer had impressed in the second Test at Newlands with a six-wicket haul in the first innings. He looked promising and bowled in the right areas, with much more discipline than Chameera or Pradeep could manage.
He continued to hit the right channels on a green and bouncy Johannesburg pitch. Although, much like visiting bowlers, he was on the shorter side early in the innings, but he corrected that quickly.
However, a short one angled across Elgar to get rid of the stoic opener and Kumara made a vital breakthrough late in the day by dismissing Duminy.
With pace bowlers being a rare specimen in Lanka, this 19-year-old is a bright prospect for the island nation. He has the right body language and run up expected of a young pace bowler, and could be Lanka's future pace bowling leader.
#1 Amla scales a difficult period with a hundred in his 100th Test
Hashim Amla had gone 11 innings without a half-century, an unusually long period for someone who is considered among the most consistent Test batsmen in world cricket today.
He looked lost at the crease in Australia and played without the confidence that had made him a real force in the Proteas line-up. The angled bat and difficulties against the incoming balls looked more glaring than ever.
But, like the champion he is, Amla came through the tough period to crack a hundred, his 26th in Test, after overcoming a stuttering start which saw him being dropped at 5 by Dhananjaya de Silva.
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