Cullinan puts South Africa in command
Daryll Cullinan hit his fourth century in successive Tests and put South African in a commanding position on the second day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Newlands in Cape Town on Wednesday.
Mark Boucher joined in a run feast, making 92 in a South African total of 426 for six. It gave South Africa a first innings lead of 331 with four wickets standing and three days still to play.
Sri Lanka were bowled out for 95 in the first three hours of the match.
Cullinan made 112 before being run out by a direct hit from Chaminda Vaas shortly before tea. He shared stands of 101 with Neil McKenzie (47) and 86 with Boucher.
His innings again put Cullinan in front of teammate Gary Kirsten as South Africa's leading century maker. It was his 12th Test hundred and fifth against Sri Lanka.
Cullinan made centuries against Sri Lanka, West Indies and England in his previous three Tests at Newlands. He reached his hundred off 212 balls when he punched offspinner Russel Arnold through the covers for his tenth four.
He also hit three sixes in an innings in which he mixed aggression with periods of careful defence.
Boucher took over as the senior batsman after Cullinan's dismissal as he and Lance Klusener added 94 in 96 minutes for the sixth wicket. Boucher looked set for his fourth Test century until he holed out to deep backward square leg six overs from the close. He made his 92 off 143 balls with ten fours.
Sri Lanka's tactics were puzzling. The second new ball was due immediately after lunch when South Africa's total was 214 for three off 80 overs. But skipper Sanath Jayasuriya started the post-lunch period by giving Arnold his first over of the match.
Arnold had an early success when he held a return catch from McKenzie in his third over but no further wickets fell during 28 overs in which Arnold and star offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan bowled in tandem. The total had advanced to 305 and Cullinan had passed his century when the new ball was eventually taken.
Muralitharan gave Cullinan some anxious moments, however, beating him with a topspinner when Cullinan was on 87 and having him dropped by Tillerkeratne Dilshan at silly mid-off on 89. Cullinan edged another topspinner past wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara for four soon after reaching his century.
Cullinan was run out when he played Vaas to midwicket and the bowler moved quickly to pick up the ball and hit the stumps at the bowlers end as Cullinan went for a single.
Scoreboard
Sri Lanka (1st innings): 95 (S. Pollock 6/30, M. Ngam 3/26).
South Africa (1st innings): (overnight 130/2)
G. Kirsten c Dilshan b Muralitharan 52
H. Gibbs c Sangakkara b Vaas 0
J. Kallis c Jayawardene b Fernando 49
D. Cullinan run out (Vaas) 112
N. McKenzie c and b Arnold 47
M. Boucher c Jaywardene b Fernando 92
L. Klusener not out 44
N. Boje not out 7
Extras (lb4, nb18, w1) 23
Total (for 6 wkts) 426
Fall of wickets: 1/1, 2/97, 3/130, 4/231, 5/317, 6/411
Bowling: Vaas 27-6-89-1 (8nb), Zoysa 20-5-67-0 (1w), Fernando 20-2-73-1 (10nb), Muralitharan 43-11-99-1, Jayasuriya 7-1-28-0, Arnold 22-4-66-2
Mail Cricket Editor
