Marco Jansen's bowling heroics saw South Africa take a firm grip on the first Test after dismissing Sri Lanka for a paltry 42 runs and opening a 177-run lead at tea on the second day in Durban on Thursday.
The lanky Jansen took a career best 7/13 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for their lowest test total inside 14 overs after South Africa were 191 all out in their first innings at Kingsmead.
The home side were 28 without loss at tea at the start of their second innings, with Tony de Zorzi on 14 and Aiden Markram nine, looking to build a substantial lead as South Africa chase a victory to keep them on track for a place in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s next June.
Jansen became only the second bowler to take seven wickets inside seven overs of a Test innings, emulating former Australia captain Hugh Trumble, whose 7/28 in 6.5 overs, including a hat-trick, bowled his team to victory over England in 1904.
Jansen's haul also took only 6.5 overs after clean bowling three Sri Lankans, having three more caught in the slips and finishing off the innings with a caught and bowled as last man Asiyha Fernando struck a delivery high into the sky.
Sri Lanka’s score was the tied-ninth lowest innings in Test history and their own worse total by 29 runs after their previous low of 71 against Pakistan in Kandy 30 years ago.
It was also the lowest Test innings total at the Durban venue, eclipsing the 53 scored by Bangladesh in March 2022.
Gerald Coetzee took 2/18 and Kagiso Rabada the other wicket on a seamer-friendly surface that gave the home attack plenty of assistance but with the Sri Lankans contributing to their rapid demise with some shocking batting.
Kamindu Mendes top scored with 13 runs while five players were dismissed without scoring.
Before lunch home captain Temba Bavuma top-scored with 70 runs in South Africa’s first innings, returning to the side after missing the two-test series victory in Bangladesh last month with an elbow injury.
South Africa resumed on 80/4 after rain curtailed play on the first day to one session and it took only 16 balls on Thursday for their first wicket to fall when Kyle Verreynne was trapped leg before wicket without adding to his score of nine.
Keshav Maharaj briefly took to the bowlers and scored a quick 24 off 35 balls to add vital runs and the last wicket partnership added 26 more before Rabada was caught for 15 to end the innings.
