Sri Lanka head coach Sanath Jayasuriya has expressed his disappointment over his team’s inability to capitalize on key moments during their 109-run defeat to South Africa in the second Test at St. George’s Park, Gqeberha. South Africa completed a 2-0 series win to deal a blow to Sri Lanka’s hopes of securing a spot in the final of the ICC World Test Championship.


South Africa’s victory was led by spinner Keshav Maharaj, who claimed five wickets for 76 runs, wrapping up the Sri Lankan innings for 238 inside 70 minutes on the final day. Despite an intense final underway with both teams battling to keep their World Test Championship ambitions alive, Sri Lanka faltered under the pressure.


Jayasuriya pointed to Sri Lankan batsmen’s inability to convert starts into significant scores as a critical factor in the defeat. In the first innings, all Sri Lanka’s top five batters managed to reach at least 20, but only Pathum Nissanka went beyond 50. Even Nissanka, who made a half-century, could not capitalize on his start.


SA vs SL, 2nd Test: Highlights | Scorecard


“Batsmen need to convert their scores into hundreds – 30s and 40s are not enough,” Jayasuriya lamented. “On challenging wickets like these, at least two batters need to score centuries. We didn’t achieve that this time. All we got were two 80s, which is not enough at this level.”


The series was particularly tough on Kamindu Mendis, whose average plummeted from 91.27 before the series to 74 at the end of it. Despite the dip, Jayasuriya defended the young batsman, highlighting his potential and confidence.


“Kamindu is a quality player,” Jayasuriya said. “Every player has their tough series, and this was his. He remains a positive presence and I am confident he will come back stronger.”


Jayasuriya highlighted specific periods during the Test when Sri Lanka let their grip slip, starting with the second morning, when South African lower-order partnerships added 89 crucial runs.


“In that first innings we conceded about 40 runs too many after getting eight or nine wickets,” he noted.


The third morning proved equally costly as Sri Lanka collapsed, losing five wickets and missing the chance to secure a substantial first-innings lead.


“In the second innings, their tail, which added 25-30 more runs, hurt us,” Jayasuriya said. “And losing two quick wickets in the evening session when we were 117 for 3 made our job even more difficult.”


Despite the setbacks, Jayasuriya praised the efforts of senior players and stressed the importance of learning from such losses. He reiterated his belief in the team’s ability to play “positive cricket” and learn lessons from the defeat as they prepare for future challenges.


South Africa’s Kyle Verreynne and Keshav Maharaj were standouts in the match, with Verreynne’s lively century setting the tone on the second day. For Sri Lanka, the focus now shifts to addressing shortcomings and regaining momentum as they look to keep their World Test Championship hopes alive.


“We need to sharpen up at critical moments,” Jayasuriya concluded. “If we can do that, we will be able to compete better against strong sides like South Africa.”




Published by:


Saurabh Kumar




Published on:


December 9, 2024





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