Sangakkara defies SA but cannot deny victory

By Paul Martin in Pretoria.

It was an expected victory amid an unexpected resistance.

South African duly won this Third and Final Test by an innings for the second time in a row against the outgunned Sri Lankans. But it was a Sri Lankan who stole the show.

Every bit as outstanding as the innings of Shaun Pollock in the first innings (111 off 106 balls) was the defiance of Kumar Sangakkara. While his team inexorably fell one by one to the South African pace attack, the young batsman was denied his first Test century by a very poor decision by English umpire (and former Test player) Peter Willey. He was given out l.b.w. when a ball from Makhaya Ntini pitched clearly outside the leg stump. He had made 98, and with his departure the Sri Lankans were all out for 252 in their second innings.

South Africa captured the three-Test series 2-0 and would have won the first one also had it not been for rain. Their victory by an innings and 229 runs in the Second Test in Cape Town earlier this month also took less than three days -- a measure of the disproportionate nature of the two sides.

This time it was made worse by the absence of Sri Lanka's world class spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and paceman Chaminda Vaas, only partly compensated for by the flu bug that was debilitating several of the South Africans.

The South Africans had a far better pace-bowling attack, and when their number 9 batsman can smash a century in 95 balls, you know that getting early wickets is often just a precursor to a rapid recovery.

But let's face it: the day belonged to 23-year-old Sangakkara. The left-hander made 74 in the First Test in Durban, but this was by far a greater effort. He lasted 348 minutes, faced 215 balls, and stroked 14 fours. He is surely set for a superb future.

Sri Lanka more than doubled their paltry first-innings score of 119 -- but by being bowled out for 252, they had to face the ignominy of losing successive Test by more than an innings.

From the start of Day Three there was controversy. Aravinda de Silva was caught at third slip by Pollock when he edged Jacques Kallis. Pollock scooped the ball up with both hands. Event though De Silva believed Pollock's assurance that he had caught the ball above ground and walked, television replays showed the ball bounced just in front of his hands.

Jayasuriya was unlucky to be bowled for 16 by Allan Donald when the ball just flicked his off stump. And to add insult to injury, the main wicket-taker today was none of the famous four (Pollock, Donald, Kallis, Ntini) but the newcomer Justin Kemp . He had Romesh Kaluwitharana caught behind just before lunch, and got two more scalps later.

All in all, the South Africans must be very satisfied. Just two clouds on the horizon: will Allan Donald, who looked much more like his old (or younger) self today,recover his form and fitness? And will the great destroyer, all-rounder Lance Klusener, recover from his injury in time for the next series?

If the answer to both these questions turns out to be yes, then woe betide the West Indians when the Proteas go on tour there in five weeks' time.

Mail Cricket Editor