Dean Elgar grabbed his opportunity created by the retirement of Graeme Smith to score his second Test match century and his first in his specialist position of opening batsman on the opening day of the first Test match against Sri Lanka at Galle on Wednesday.
When Elgar was dismissed for 103 (187 balls, 11 fours and 3 sixes), equalling his unbeaten maiden century against New Zealand at Axxess St. George’s, he had put the Castle Lager Proteas in a position of considerable strength at 195/2 at the end of the 63rd over.
Elgar also achieved the distinction of becoming the first Protea opening batsman to score a Test century in Sri Lanka, having shared partnerships of 70 in only 17 overs with Alviro Petersen and 123 with Faf du Plessis in 46 overs as the new-look top three – with Hashim Amla moving himself down to No. 4 – bedded down well. The previous highest innings for South Africa by an opening batsman in Sri Lanka was Herschelle Gibbs’ 92 in Colombo in 2006.
Sri Lanka hit back in the final session to take four wickets to leave the Proteas on 268/5 from 91 overs by the close. It is a moot point as to who had the better of the first day. Amla gave the Proteas a huge advantage by winning the toss but once the ball lost its shine, became softer and started to reverse immediately after lunch and the pitch got slower and slower, the Sri Lankan tactics of disciplined strangulation worked well.
The first session of the second morning has taken on critical importance and will decide whether the Proteas, with Quinton de Kock established at the crease and JP Duminy and Vernon Philander still to bat, are able to push on to a total in excess of 400 which is what they will want or whether Sri Lanka can restrict them to below 350 which would be below the average first innings total at this venue.
What was particularly pleasing about the Proteas top order was the impression that the new captain’s ice cold temperament seems to be influencing his comrades. The top three all impressed with their composure at the crease as they showed excellent footwork in taking the attack to the Sri Lankan bowlers. This was evident in the fact that the Proteas were scoring at more than four to the over for most of the morning session and the fact that Angelo Mathews had employed all five his specialist bowlers by the beginning of the 15th over.
Elgar stood out for the manner in which he adapted to the pace of the pitch and he gave an object lesson in how to play the left-arm spin of Rangana Herath by waiting for the ball to come to him and scoring heavily off the back foot in the backward point area.
As was the case with his first Test century, he again reached three figures by lofting the bowler straight back over his head to the boundary and this epitomized his refusal to be tied down.
It came as a genuine surprise when he chased a wide delivery from Suranga Lakmal to be caught behind the wicket. The Sri Lanka seamer struck a second major blow when he bowled AB de Villiers off the inside edge in the second last over of the day.
The best Sri Lankan bowler was possibly Dilruwan Perera who also picked up key wickets in Petersen and Du Plessis. He was always asking questions and the Proteas have little or no experience of playing against him.
One way and another it was an absorbing day of Test cricket and one that augurs well for the remaining nine days of the series.
Du Plessis became the fourth fastest South African to reach 1 000 Test runs behind Smith, De Villiers and Eddie Barlow when he completed the fourth run of his innings.
Night watchman, Dale Steyn, yet to face a ball, needs two runs to complete the double of 1 000 Test runs and 300 Test wickets.
