Head coach Gary Kirsten says South Africa’s situation in the second Test against Sri Lanka is an opportunity for someone to put their hand up and do something special for their country.
“I’m still quite excited about what can come out of the game,” said Kirsten, with his team 426 runs behind Sri Lanka.
“The one thing we do know is that it’s an opportunity for someone to do something special and be a hero for their country.”
Kirsten said the Proteas had only themselves to blame, being bowled out for 168 in the first innings on day three and that is why they had found themselves in this position.
“We didn’t bat well and so we’ve always been chasing the game,” he said.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got to dig ourselves out of this hole.”
Sri Lanka scored 142 runs between lunch and tea and lost just two wickets and Kirsten admitted the bowlers lost their way during that period.
“We probably had a poor second session where we didn’t really stick to our plans,” he said.
‘Skilled enough’
“We were bowling both sides of the wicket [instead of sticking to off-stump] and we didn’t do a good holding job.
“You’d like one of your seamers to be able to bowl one side of the wicket.
“They are all talented and skilled enough to do that.”
Vernon Philander, regarded as the team’s holding bowler, injured his knee in the nets last weekend and was replaced by 21 year old Marchant de Lange.
The debutant did a good job in the first innings, taking 7-81 but was unable to fill Philander’s boots in limiting the run-making.
“We came back nicely in the third session and stuck to it and did what we set out to do,” Kirsten said.
“But what we’ve been trying to focus on, is how we play the sessions.
“What is concerning for us all is that we can have two really good sessions and then have a blow-out session.
“We need to focus on ways and means of stopping the bleeding.”
‘Great contest’
Sri Lankan century-maker Kumar Sangakkara said his team still needed to work hard to close out the game against South Africa.
The visitors had accumulated a lead of 426 runs at stumps on day three at Kingsmead on Wednesday.
“I think all the guys have shown character but we still have two days to go and need to close it out,” Sangakkara said.
“Nothing is beyond the realms of possibility and that’s what makes it such a great contest.”
The most successful run chase at this ground was 340 for five, achieved by South Africa against Australia in 2002, while the highest at any ground was 418.
Sangakkara gave one chance on his way to scoring 108 runs — his 28th Test century coming off 190 balls including 13 fours.
“Sometimes you get beaten, sometimes you nick them and sometimes you get dropped,” he said.
“If the luck works for you, then you have to try and capitalise on it.
Back to basics
“I was fortunate to start off but then it was a case of doing the basics right and looking for loose balls.”
Currently ranked the number one batsman in Test cricket, Sangakkara had a dismal start to his tour of South Africa but came good, playing some magnificent shots around the ground.
“Before the tour started it was on my mind that this was one of the countries where I hadn’t scored a 100 yet,” said Sangakkara.
“I had to work hard in the nets after my first three innings here [Kingsmead] and go back to basics, watching the ball a lot better than I had been doing recently.
“Once I built my innings and got into a position where I could maybe make a 100, it was a question of waiting for the bad balls and then putting away boundaries as quickly as I could.”
Sharing a 104-run stand for the sixth wicket with Dinesh Chandimal and an earlier 94-run partnership with Thilan Samaraweera, Sangakkara was full of praise for his team-mates.
“Chandimal was so impressive making his debut and getting twin 50s so a lot of credit goes to him.
“He showed us that with a lot of hard work he could make quite an impact — batting at seven, keeping wicket and scoring runs for us.
A lot of work to do
“He’s strong, both physically and mentally and was not overawed by the situation.”
Sangakkara said it was a make-or-break Test for Samaraweera who only came back into the team recently.
“Thilan has shown time and time again that he’s the guy who has scored runs for us,” Sangakkara said of Samaraweera, who scored a century in the first innings and 43 in the second.
“I’m very pleased for him. He was looking to show everyone what he could do and, in these conditions, it was fantastic.”
While the batsmen had played their part, the bowlers still had a lot of work to do over the next two days and Sangakkara said Rangana Herath had a huge role to play.
“If Herath can get some turn — more turn than in the first innings — and bowl with the same control, he’ll be a handful to play on this track.
“He’s an old-fashioned spinner and his variation in flight and pace work on wickets that help him.
“Our pace attack also has a lot of work to do with the new ball.
“Every ball they bowl must be focussed and they must have that belief of getting wickets and building pressure.” — Sapa