Injury-hit Sri Lanka crash to 157 on Day One

Opener Kusal Perera hit a flamboyant 60 from 67 balls and with him playing fluently, Sri Lanka made a promising start to reach 71-1 after 20 overs

Injury-hit Sri Lanka crashed to 157 all out midway through the first day of the second test in South Africa on Sunday to find no respite after losing the series opener and also a string of players to injury. South Africa's fast bowlers ploughed through the Sri Lankan order in just 40.3 overs at the Wanderers after Sri Lanka chose to bat first, with Anrich Nortje taking 6-56 and Wiaan Mulder 3-25. Opener Kusal Perera hit a flamboyant 60 from 67 balls and with him playing fluently, Sri Lanka made a promising start to reach 71-1 after 20 overs.

But the picture change completely when Perera prodded outside off stump and sent an edge to Aiden Markram in the slips to be the first of three wickets for Mulder in the space of two overs just before lunch. Suddenly, Sri Lanka was 84-5 at lunch and then all out after just 16.3 overs of the second session. South Africa reached 22-0 at tea in its first-innings reply. The 22-year-old Mulder, playing at his home ground, began the Sri Lankan slide by removing Perera and Kusal Mendis (0) in the same over and then Lahiru Thirimanne (17) in his next over. His 3-25 was his best return in a test innings. Nortje struck an early blow with a fast delivery that flicked off Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne's gloves to see him caught behind by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock for two.

He also removed debutant Minod Bhanuka to end the morning session. Nortje cleaned up the tail, too, collecting four of the last five wickets and ending the innings by sending a fast yorker through Asitha Fernando's defenses to knock out the middle stump. Nortje also finished with career-best figures. Sri Lanka had four players ruled out at the Wanderers with injuries picked up in the visitors' big innings and 45-run loss in the first test. That forced Sri Lanka to give debuts to batsman Bhanuka and fast bowler Fernando. South Africa selected an unchanged team as it looks to seal the two-test series. That meant no place for fit-again fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who was available but is being saved for upcoming series against Pakistan and Australia.

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!