From 1877 until World War One
Between the World Wars
Post War to the WSC Revolution
The Professional Era to the New Millennium
The New Millennium and Beyond
Other Pages
Home Page
Article Archive
How the System Works
Frequently Asked Questions
Statistical Points of Interest
Current and Future Series Predictions
Links
Site Map
Contact Us
Get Free e-mail ratings updates
SL win 2 - 0 SA gains 10 points; SL loses 10 points
Draw 1 - 1 SL gains 5 points; SA loses 5 points
SA win 2 - 0 SL gains 20 points; SA loses 20 points
Galle
04 - 08 August 2004
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. South Africa made early inroads and dismissed openers Jayasuriya (12) and Atapattu (9) to have Sri Lanka 2 for 22. Sri Lanka then began to consolidate until rain forced an early lunch with the score 2 for 81. During the afternoon session, South Africa managed to dismiss Sangakkara (58) and Samaraweera (13), while Sri Lanka added 97 more runs to be 4 for 178 at tea. After tea, South Africa dismissed Dilshan (25) and Kaluwitharana (33) before Jayawardene posted his 12th Test century. On the last ball of the day, Chandana (5) was bowled with the score 7 for 279.
South Africa struggled through the second morning and was unable to break the eighth wicket partnership, which pasted the century mark. At lunch, Sri Lanka was 7 for 387. Sri Lanka went on to set a recor4d eighth wicket partnership against all nations of 170 runs before Vaas (69) fell at 8 for 449. Jayawardene (237) failed to set a new highest Test score by six runs when he was out at 9 for 486. Finally, Muralitharan (0) was out next ball and Sri Lanka was all out for 486. Pollock was the best of the bowlers with 4 for 48 off 23 overs. South Africa began their reply after tea was taken batted through the session to end the day at no wicket for 82.
Sri Lanka dismissed Dippenaar (46) in the third over of the third morning and van Jaarsveld (37) followed twelve runs later at 2 for 96. However, Sri Lanka was unable to make further inroads and at lunch, South Africa was 2 for 157. Sri Lanka dismissed Kallis (59) early in the afternoon session before South Africa continued to bat slowly toward the follow on target of 287 runs. Smith (23) was out at 4 for 213 and Boucher (6) followed soon afterwards at 5 for 225. By tea, South Africa was 5 for 247, just 40 runs short of avoiding the follow on. Upon reaching the follow on target, Pollock (25) was out, followed eight runs later by Klusener (2) at 7 for 295. South Africa then regrouped and batted through to be 7 for 347 at stumps.
Sri Lanka struck early on the fourth day, dismissed Boje (31) in the first over. Ntini (10) fell before Hayward (2*) helped Rudolph (102) post his fourth test century. South Africa was all out for 376, conceding a first innings lead of 110 runs. Muralitharan was the best of the bowlers with 4 for 130 off 46.4 overs. Sri Lanka then began extending the final innings victory target and at lunch was no wicket for 25. South Africa managed to dismiss Atapattu (25), Sangakkara (13) and Jayawardene (5) during the afternoon session while Sri Lanka added a further 87 runs to be 3 for 110 at tea. However, with a 220 run lead, Sri Lanka was in the box seat. Sri Lanka chased quick runs after tea and lost Jayasuriya (74), Dilshan (1), Samaraweera (19) and Kaluwitharana (19) in the space of 32 runs. Chandana (29) and Muralitharan (2) also fell before Sri Lanka declared at 9 for 214. Boje was the best of the bowlers with 5 for 88 off 22 overs. South Africa, needing 325 runs from 93 overs for victory, was 0 for 7 off three overs at stumps.
Sri Lanka needed quick wickets on the final morning to put South Africa under pressure and force a result. However, the tourists resisted throughout the first hour before Dippenaar (11) was caught at 1 for 34. Sri Lanka was unable to gain any momentum during the rest of the session while South Africa seemed content to bat out for a draw. At lunch, South Africa was 1 for 56 off 33 overs. Sri Lanka managed to dismiss van Jaarsveld (29) and Smith (74) during the afternoon session while South Africa took the score to 3 for 135 at tea. Sri Lanka was unable to put any more pressure on the tourists during the evening session and when the draw was declared, South Africa was 3 for 203 from 90 overs. Of the eight bowlers used, Dilshan, Muralitharan and Chandana each took one wicket.
Second Test
Colombo
11 - 15 August 2004
Sri Lanka won the toss and again elected to bat first. South Africa made an immediate impact by dismissing Atapattu (4) in the first over. Sri Lanka then fought back and took the total to 99 before Jayasuriya (43) was out shortly before the home side went to lunch at 2 for 108. South Africa was unable to make further inroads during the afternoon session. After Sangakkara posted his sixth Test century, Sri Lanka went to tea having begun to claim the ascendancy with the score 2 for 187. South Africa struggled through the final session while Sri Lanka reinforced their advantage. While South Africa dismissed Jayawardene (82) shortly before stumps, Sri Lanka ended the day on top at 3 for 303.
South Africa dismissed nightwatchman Vaas (10) early on the second morning at 4 for 316. However, Sri Lanka then consolidated and took the total to 392 before South Africa fought back strongly. Samaraweera (21), Dilshan (3), Kaluwitharana (7) and Sangakkara (232) all fell in the space of 26 runs for the home side to be 7 for 416. South Africa dismissed Herath (7) at 9 for 437 before the final pair added 3 runs before Chandana (40) was out for an innings total of 470 runs. Pollock was the best of the bowlers with 4 for 81 off 30 overs. After an early tea was taken, South Africa began their reply by losing Gibbs (0) on the third ball of the innings. However, Sri Lanka was then kept wicketless until a double breakthrough in the space of three balls that saw van Jaarsveld (51) and nightwatchman Boje (0) fall shortly before stumps. At stumps, South Africa was 3 for 116, still 155 short of the follow on target.
Sri Lanka devastated the South African middle order on the third morning, dismissing Smith (65), Kallis (13) and Rudolph (6) in the space of 26 runs to have South Africa in trouble at 6 for 166. The tourists eventually went to lunch at 6 for 186 and then lost Dippenaar first ball after the break. Pollock (1) and Ntini (0) followed two overs later and finally Hayward (1) was the last man out. After having lost their final nine wickets for 80 runs, South Africa was all out for an embarrassing 189 runs, conceding a first innings lead of 281 runs. Jayasuriya was the best of the bowlers with career best figures of 5 for 34 off 14.1 overs. Perhaps surprisingly, given they ran out of time to bowl out South Africa in the first Test, Sri Lanka elected not to enforce the follow on. Sri Lanka took the total to 46 before Jayasuriya (19) was stumped and then at tea, Sri Lanka was 1 for 108, having scored at five runs per over. South Africa managed to dismiss Sangakkara (64), Jayawardene (3) and Atapattu (72) during the evening session. However, by stumps, Sri Lanka was 4 for 211, with an impregnable overall lead of 492 runs and the very real prospect of having almost two days to dismiss South Africa and claim their first ever series win against South Africa.
Rain delayed play on the fourth day, cruelly threatening to rob Sri Lanka from a historic first series victory over South Africa. Eventually, play began late in the afternoon and Sri Lanka immediately declared, leaving South Africa an impossible final innings victory target of 493 runs. With only eight overs available before stumps, Sri Lanka wreaked havoc by dismissed Gibbs (4) and van Jaarsveld (2) to have South Africa 2 for 21 at stumps.
South Africa began the final day badly, losing Kallis (3) in the first over. Smith (17) followed three overs later and then in the following over Rudolph (1) was out to see South Africa ship wreaked at 5 for 36. South Africa then consolidated and took the total to 137 before the final collapse began. Boucher (51), Pollock (3), Boje (16), Ntini (0) and Hayward (1) were all out within the space of 13 overs and 42 runs to see South Africa all out for 179. Vaas was the destroyer with 6 for 29 off 18 overs as Sri Lanka claimed victory by 313 runs.
