Jansen outshines Bavuma on rare day at Kingsmead

Jansen Outshines Bavuma on Rare Day at Kingsmead

Temba Bavuma, the softly spoken, bearded batsman, took guard at 14/2 inside the first hour at Kingsmead on Wednesday. He was dropped when he was one and caught behind off a no-ball when he was 20. When rain halted play for the day more than an hour later, he was 28 not out and his team were 48/2.

Bavuma is made for situations like he has faced at Kingsmead these past two days. He was part of five of the six bricks – stands of at least 20 – that rebuilt the innings from the rubble of 14/2. He batted with flinty application and focus, solidly made strokes, and the odd flash of recklessness. He saved the latter for short, legside deliveries.

Bavuma reeled his team in from the edge of the abyss. However, he won't be given the credit he earned, usually down to racism. He might be called a Marmite cricketer, but this time, the events that followed his fine effort were to blame.

Marco Jansen, the veritable black mamba in whites, bowled with irresistible venom on a still responsive pitch to take seven wickets in 41 deliveries. Jansen's 7/13, his second five-wicket haul in his 14th Test and his career-best figures, condemned Sri Lanka to a total of 42, their lowest against all opponents and the smallest yet seen in Durban.

Jansen's no-balls were not deliberate. He tried to make a conscious effort to be a foot behind his mark. The wind from the south complicated the already complicated mechanics of bowling. Sadly, for Sri Lanka, they had no-one close to Bavuma.

Bavuma's grit, all 117 balls and more than three-and-a-half hours of it, was overshadowed by Jansen's performance. However, Jansen's achievement wouldn't have been possible without Bavuma doing his bit.

When South Africa slipped to two down in their second innings an hour after tea, Bavuma strode out again. Wiaan Mulder, who had been retired hurt, returned to share an important nugget of 26 runs with Kagiso Rabada for the last wicket.

The day ended with a lead of 281 and control of the match for South Africa. Bavuma bunted the last ball, bowled to him by Jayasuriya, to mid-on for no run with the air of a man who was not done. He will be back on Friday to enjoy not having to drag his team out of the ditch.