Lahiru Kumara’s pace and precision put Sri Lanka in control despite the rain delays in Kingsmead Test
In a rain-affected first day at Kingsmead, Durban, Sri Lanka’s fast bowling attack flexed its muscle, with Lahiru Kumara leading the charge to dismiss South Africa for a precarious 80/4 before play was halted due to weather. On a pitch offering movement and bounce, Kumara's rhythm and aggression set the tone, while his teammates played vital supporting roles to leave the hosts with plenty to ponder. With Sri Lanka eyeing a spot in next year’s World Test Championship final, this first Test could prove crucial to both sides’ aspirations, especially in these damp conditions.
When rain halted play just before lunch on Day One, it was clear that Sri Lanka had the upper hand. Fast bowler Lahiru Kumara was the standout, his sharp pace and bounce making him a constant threat throughout the morning session. He dismissed two key South African batters in successive overs, putting the home side in a precarious position.
Kumara’s impressive display included a beautifully directed short ball to remove Tristan Stubbs, caught at third slip after a crisp shot to a well-pitched delivery. But it was his earlier dismissal of David Bedingham that really underlined his quality—finding the perfect line and length to send the off stump cartwheeling after beating the batter for pace.
However, it wasn’t without its frustration. Kumara had Bavuma caught behind off a short-pitched delivery—his third wicket of the session—but an overstepping no-ball denied him the hat-trick. Despite the setback, his performance proved that Sri Lanka’s pace attack is beginning to look ominous, with Kumara at its heart.
Sri Lanka’s decision to bowl first on a lively, grass-covered pitch proved astute, with the weather playing its part by maintaining overcast skies. Bowling coach Darshana Gamage confirmed the team's strategy was to use the conditions to their advantage, especially with Kumara—a bowler whose pace is his most potent weapon.
With a history of hamstring injuries, Kumara has been used sparingly across formats, but his role in the Test Championship campaign is pivotal. “In this Test Championship, we wanted to have all our bowlers fresh,” Gamage noted. "Our biggest challenge is to have quicks who will win us Test matches, and Kumara is central to that mission."
As the day wore on, the battle was clearly one between bat and ball. The early breakthroughs, including Ajitha and Vishwa Fernando's twin strikes that dismissed South Africa's openers cheaply, left the South African middle order exposed. Both Fernando brothers—Ajitha with a seaming delivery to dismiss Aiden Markram and Vishwa with a beauty to get rid of Tony de Zorzi—set the tone for what would be a frustrating day for the Proteas.
Despite the early setbacks, South Africa showed resilience, with Tristan Stubbs and captain Temba Bavuma digging in to mount a defiant stand. Their partnership—taking the score from 14/2 to 29/2 in 13 overs—was a period where they absorbed the pressure and kept Sri Lanka’s bowlers at bay. The challenge for both was clear weather the storm of Kumara's pace and the swinging deliveries, while trying to work the ball into gaps.
Bavuma, who was fortunate to survive a difficult chance at third slip when on just 1, played with intent and experience, showcasing why he remains a key figure in South Africa’s middle order. After a testing period, the pair started to find the boundary, though the arrival of Kumara in the 14th over changed the tempo entirely.
Despite the early collapse, South Africa’s fighting spirit shone through, especially from Bavuma, who remained unbeaten at 28 when play was stopped due to the persistent rain. South Africa will need him to lead from the front if they are to recover from this early setback.
As the weather is expected to clear on Day Two, there is hope that conditions will settle and allow the batters a better chance to prosper. South Africa’s hope lies in a quick turnaround, much like India’s second-innings performance in Perth against Australia the previous weekend.
Ashwell Prince, the South African batting coach, reflected on how swiftly conditions can change "Last week’s Test in Australia was a good example of how when conditions change, things can change for the batting team. When the sun came out, the pitch changed colour and conditions dramatically. We're hoping for a bit of sunshine tomorrow morning."
For both teams, the stakes are high. Sri Lanka sits in third place in the World Test Championship standings, while South Africa lingers in fifth. A win for either team would significantly boost their chances of reaching the final at Lord’s next year.
