Sri Lanka bowled out for 42 as Jansen takes seven wickets

South Africa quick bowler Marc Jansen took a career best seven wickets as Sri Lanka were dismissed for their lowest test total of 42 on the second day of the first Test at Kingsmead on Thursday in reply to the hosts’ first innings 191.

It was the tied-ninth lowest innings in Test history, with Jansen posting 7-13 as Sri Lanka lasted only 13.5 overs in the second session.

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.

They trail by 149 runs after the lowest test innings total at the Durban venue, eclipsing the 53 scored by Bangladesh in March 2022.

Kamindu Mendes top scored with 13 runs while five players were dismissed without scoring. David Bedingham took three slip catches.

Before lunch, home captain Temba Bavuma top-scored with 70 runs as South Africa were bowled out for 191 in their first innings.

Bavuma, back in the side after missing the two-Test series victory in Bangladesh last month with an elbow injury, overcame a shaky start to stand at 28 overnight, then showed patience and resilience on the second day to reach his 50 off 93 balls.

But left with the tailenders, he went on the attack and, after some lusty boundaries, perished near the end of the innings.

South Africa resumed on 80-4 after rain limited 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 to the home tally and the last wicket partnership added 26 before Rabada was caught for 15 to end the innings.

Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara took three wickets each.

South Africa and Sri Lanka are both chasing victory in the two-Test series to stay on course for a place in next June’s World Test Championship final at Lord’s.