Sri Lanka and rain allow South Africa only 80-4 on Day 1 of 1st test

Sri Lanka dominates South Africa in Durban test match with pace-heavy attack before rain interrupts play.

Sri Lanka reduced South Africa to 80-4 in 20.4 overs before rain washed out the rest of the first day of the first cricket test at Kingsmead on Wednesday, November 27, 2024.

The Sri Lankans, who have not lost three previous tests in Durban, won a crucial toss and opted to bowl in overcast conditions with a pace-heavy attack.

Fast bowlers Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando, no relation, removed the openers by the fourth over.

Lahiru Kumara got the other two wickets and could have had captain Temba Bavuma on 20, but Kumara was no-balled for overstepping.

Bavuma rode his luck to 28 and Kyle Verreynne was on 9 — they were a combined 26 off 21 balls — when stumps were called after a 3 1/2-hour wait.

Aiden Markram, who has one century and one half-century in five previous tests this year, hit a couple of boundaries through cover and point in the first over but then edged Asitha Fernando to first slip on 9.

Two balls later, fellow opener Tony de Zorzi gave a thick edge off Vishwa Fernando to second slip and South Africa was 14-2 in the fourth over.