South Africa have wrapped up a 233-run first-Test win over Sri Lanka as seamer Marco Jansen finished with an 11-wicket haul.
The tourists were set an improbable 516 target and started the fourth day in a deep hole at 5-103 but they were all out for 282, hastened by the dismissal of Dinesh Chandimal, who led their resistance with 83.
After Chandimal was out caught and bowled by Gerald Coetzee, Sri Lanka's last three wickets folded for 11 runs in the next six overs.
Jansen took the last two wickets for 4-73 in the innings and 11-86 in the match - the second best in test history in Durban - for his maiden 10-for in his 14th test.
Appropriately, he secured the win in a Test in which he was the star performer by bowling Asitha Fernando.
"I never thought I would get 10 wickets. It is a dream and that is what we work for. The second innings we felt the wicket was low and slow and a bit flatter," the tall medium pace said.
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| Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandima's led Sri Lanka's brief resistance before dismissed for 83 on Saturday. (AP PHOTO) |
His efforts ensured South Africa secured a fourth-straight Test win and kept alive their hopes of a place in the 2025 World Test Championship final.
"The conditions were favourable for seamers," Proteas captain Temba Bavuma said.
"Batting always felt tricky, you never felt in."
This latest victory followed Test successes over West Indies in Guyana in August and Bangladesh in a two-test series in October.
South Africa will have a strong chance of competing in the Championship final at Lord's in London next June if they win the second Test against the Sri Lankans and then two Tests versus Pakistan at home at the end of the year and in early January.
The Proteas have moved up to second on the Championship table, behind India and above Australia having remained unbeaten in seven tests since February, winning six.
The second Test against Sri Lanka starts in Gqeberha on Thursday.
- AP
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