GQEBERHA: Keshav Maharaj took five wickets as South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 109 runs to complete the series sweep on the fifth day of the second and final Test at St George’s Park on Monday.
Maharaj picked up 5-76 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 238 in their second innings, losing their remaining five wickets for 33 runs on Monday.
The clean-sweep victory propelled South Africa to the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) points table. They have a good chance to play in the WTC final at Lord’s in June next year, with their two remaining fixtures being at home against Pakistan.
Sri Lanka’s hopes of an upset win were extinguished when overnight batsmen Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis were dismissed inside the first 10 overs of the day.
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De Silva and Mendis, the team’s last recognised batsmen, resumed on 205 for five, still needing 143 runs to win.
Keshav Maharaj made the first breakthrough when Mendis edged a low catch to Aiden Markram at slip. He made 46 in a 97-run sixth-wicket partnership with De Silva.
Kagiso Rabada then had Sri Lankan captain De Silva caught behind for 50, exposing the Sri Lankan tail.
The last three wickets fell quickly with Maharaj claiming two more scalps and Marco Jansen finishing the match with his first ball of the day when Lahiru Kumara was caught off a wild slog.
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