Sport - Cricket

Smith leads from the front as Proteas force a draw

Sri Lanka 486 & 214 for 9 decl.

South Africa 376 & 203 for 3

GALLE AUG. 8. South Africa's batsmen rallied around a defiant half-century by captain Graeme Smith to force a draw in the first Test match against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Set a target of 325 off 93 overs, the tourists reached 203 for three wickets at the end of the fifth and final day, in what became a battle of survival on a pitch favouring spin bowlers at the Galle International Stadium.

Smith led South Africa with a defiant 74 before his innings ended in the last over before tea after frustrating the Sri Lankan spin bowlers for 253 minutes. In an attempt to kick the ball away he knocked it onto his stumps off the bowling of Upul Chandana.

Jacques Kallis scored an unbeaten 52, his second half-century of the game, and first innings centurion Jacques Rudolph was not out on 27. They batted out the third session before the game was called off three overs before the end, adding 68 for an unbroken fourth wicket partnership.

Sri Lanka had started the match strongly after winning the toss and amassing 486 runs, helped by a classy 237 from Mahela Jayawardene. In reply South Africa was dismissed for 376 in its first innings.

The home side declared its second innings for 214 losing nine wickets and taking a 324-run lead.

Difficult for strokeplay

South Africa was not in a position to launch an assault on the target of 325 runs on a pitch which made strokeplay difficult.

Although off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan presented the biggest challenge to South Africa's efforts, Smith's watchful innings helped the tourists force a draw.

Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu said while Muralitharan struggled to grab wickets, he hoped the ace bowler would strike form soon.

``No bowler can be at the peak of his form every game,'' Atapattu told reporters after the match.

``He (Muralitharan) did not bowl well in this match. It is nothing to worry about. There are days when he is not going to take wickets, it has happened before,'' Atapattu said.

South Africa lost Boeta Dippenaar in the morning session for 11, and Martin van Jaarsveld midway through the second session. Van Jaarsveld batted for 102 minutes for 29 runs before falling lbw to off-spinner Tillekeratne Dilshan with the score on 98. — AP

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