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Durban
26 - 30 December 2000
South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first. Sri Lanka struck early in the first session dismissing Dippenaar (11) when the total was 31 runs. South Africa recovered to go to lunch on 1 for 80 with the honours favouring the home side. Sri Lanka again struck early in the afternoon session to dismiss Kallis (21) but the South Africans then took control of the Test as they went to the tea interval at 2 for 168 with Kirsten and Cullinan looking dangerous. South Africa again lost only one wicket, that of Cullinen (59), in an evening session that was shortened due to bad light. At Stumps, the total was 3 for 230 with Kirsten not out on 112.
Sri Lanka struck back on the second morning to dissmiss McKenzie (9) and Boucher (17) to have South Africa 5 for 269. Klusener then joined Kirsten as South Africa recovered to go to lunch at 5 for 331. Sri Lanka gained momentum in the afternoon session as they dismissed Klusener (50), Kirsten (180) and Pollock (2) to have the home side 8 for 410 at tea. It took Sri Lanka ten minutes after tea to wrap up the final two wickets for a the total of 420 runs. The bowling honours for Sri Lanka were shared between Muralitharan (5 for 122 off 58.3 overs) and Fernando (5 for 98 off 34 overs). With an initial target of 220 to avoid a follow on, Sri Lanka lost openers Atapattu in a silly run out and captain Jayasuriya both for ducks to slump to 2 for 2. However, Sangakkara and Jayawardene then recovered for Sri Lanka to be 2 for 62 at stumps.
The overnight not out batsmen continued through the third morning session without loss to go to lunch at 2 for 121, needing another 99 runs to avoid any follow on complications. South Africa took a further stranglehold on this Test by striking four times in the afternoon session including dismissing Jayawardene (98) to have Sri Lanka at 6 for 202 at tea, still 18 short of the follow on target. The South Africans cleaned up the remaining four wickets by the time the total had reached 216 runs. Pollock was the most successful bowler with 3 for 40 off 20.4 overs. The South Africans elected not to enforce the follow on and by stumps had lost Dippenaar (22) to be 1 for 47 with an overall lead of 251 runs.
Play on the fourth day was abandoned due to rain. South Africa resumed on the final morning and threw the bat at anything in a desperate attempt to set Sri Lanka a final innings target and get a result from the Test. The rush to gain runs led to a constant fall of wickets and South Africa finally declared at 7 for 140 before the lunch break. Top scorer was Kirsten (34) while Muralitharan was the most successful bowler picking up 6 for 39 off 10 overs and in doing so passed 300 dismissals in Test cricket.
Sri Lanka required 345 to win off 82 overs at 4.2 runs per over. Sri Lanka went to lunch at 30 without loss off 10 overs. Sri Lanka again started well after lunch but then South Africa took four wickets in 39 runs as Sri Lanka slumped to be 4 for 80. However, Arnold and Dilshan then held the South Africans out until late in the afternoon to force a draw. When stumps were drawn due to bad light Sri Lanka was 6 for 149 with Arnold top scoring with 30 while Pollock (2 for 35 off 16 overs) and Boje (2 for 30 off 24 overs) shared the bowling honours.
Second Test
Cape Town
2 - 6 January 2001
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. However, the decision proved costly as they lost Atapattu, Jayawardene, Arnold and Jayasuriya before the total passed 13. Sri Lanka then staggered to be 5 for 63 at lunch. South Africa wrapped up the innings after lunch dissmissing the Sri Lankans for 95 runs with Pollock being the best of the South African bowlers with 6 for 30 off 13.4 overs. South Africa lost Gibbs (0) and Kirsten (52) as they batted out the remaining 49 overs to be 2 for 130 at stumps.
Sri Lanka struck in the first over of the second morning to dismiss Kallis (49). However, this was their only success as South Africa moved the total to 3 for 214 and a lead of 119 at lunch. The South Africans lost McKenzie (47) and Cullinan (112) in the afternoon session as they completed their stranglehold on this Test and moved the score to 5 for 323 at tea. The Sri Lankans managed to dismiss Boucher (92) in the evening session, but by stumps South Africa was 6 for 426 and an overall lead of 331 runs.
On the third morning South Africa continued adding to their lead and eventually declared when Klusener (97) was dismissed and the total was 504 and a first innings lead of 409. Arnold was the most successful Sri Lankan bowler with 3 for 76 off 24.2 overs. South Africa removed Jayasuriya in the five overs before lunch and then took four wickets through the afternoon session to have Sri Lanka at 5 for 112 at tea. The remaining wickets fell in the evening session for a total of 180 runs to give South Africa victory by 229 runs. Top scorer for Sri Lanka was Jayawardene (45) while Boje took 4 for 28 off 10 overs.
Third Test
Centurion
20 - 22 January 2001
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field first. The decision paid off early as the South Africans crashed to 3 for 54 before recovering to go to lunch with the total on 94 runs without further loss. The afternoon session was evenly balanced with Sri Lanka taking another three wickets in the session while South Africa scored at around 4 runs per over to add 110 runs to be 6 for 204 at tea. However, McKenzie (103) and Pollock (111) put South Africa control in the evening session. Sri Lanka still managed to take three more wickets in the session but at 9 for 375 at stumps they had ruined the opportunity they created earlier in the day.
South Africa only added three more runs to their overnight total before losing their final wicket for a total of 378 runs on the second morning. Zoysa was the most successful bowler with 4 for 76 off 22 overs. Sri Lanka began their reply disastrously losing five wickets in the session to go to lunch at 5 for 54 still 324 runs in arrears. Sri Lanka did not improve in the afternoon session as they lost their remaining five wickets for 65 runs and a first innings total of 119. Ntini was the most successful bowler with 4 for 39 off 11 overs while Kaluwitharana (32) was the top scorer for Sri Lanka.
With a 259 run lead, South Africa enforced the follow on and Sri Lanka lost Atapattu before tea to be 1 for 26 at the break. South Africa claimed Jayawardene (23) and Arnold (71) in the evening session to see the Sri Lankans 3 for 184 at stumps needing another 75 runs to force South Africa to bat again.
The third morning saw opener Sangakkara playing consistently at one end while De Silva (22), Jayasuriya (16) and Kaluwitharana (10) all fell before lunch when the score was 6 for 235. Sri Lanka still needed another 24 runs to force South Africa to bat again but failed by seven runs after losing their remaining four wickets after lunch when the total was 252. Sangakkara (98) was the last man out and top scorer for the innings while Kemp took 3 for 33 off 13 overs to be the most successful bowler.
