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'Greatest innings ever': Sri Lanka claim historic win over South Africa

Sri Lanka have rewritten the Test record books after an extraordinary unbeaten century to Kusal Perera helped Sri Lanka claim a miracle win against South Africa.

Perera belted 153 not out as Sri Lanka chased 304 to claim a stunning one-wicket win over South Africa in the first Test in Durban.

He and Vishwa Fernando, who made six not out, added an unbroken 78 to rescue Sri Lanka from 229-9 on the fourth day.

It was the highest last-wicket stand in a successful fourth-innings chase in first-class cricket.

Perera celebrates his match-winning heroics. Pic: Getty
Perera celebrates his match-winning heroics. Pic: Getty

Perera and Vishwa’s stand was comfortably the highest match-winning 10th-wicket alliance in Test history, surpassing the previous best of 57 by Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed for Pakistan against Australia in 1994.

Sri Lankan cricket legend Kumar Sangakkara said Perera’s performance “could be the greatest innings ever in an overseas run chase by a Sri Lankan batsman.”

Mahela Jayawardene, Upul Tharanga and Ravichandran Ashwin were among others to pay tribute to Sri Lanka’s hero, whose modest response to the epic win was just as refreshing.

“I’m a little tired now. I don’t know what to say,” Perera said.

“I knew we couldn’t win this match by just scoring singles. When the time felt right for me, I took my chances.

“Vishwa told me, ‘I’ll hit the ball with my body, if nothing else. You do what you can.’ I took a lot of strength from that. He did a huge job.”

South African skipper Faf du Plessis was happy to heap all the praise on Sri Lanka’s man-of-the-moment.

“It was a superman effort,” Du Plessis said.

“He (Perera) deserves all the accolades.”

Victory seemed unlikely when the ninth wicket fell with the total on 226, with the tourists chasing a target of 304.

But the left-handed Perera successfully farmed the strike, with South African captain Faf du Plessis persisting with wide-spread fields for the in-form batsman, while Fernando only had to face 27 balls during a 96-ball partnership.

Perera was on 86 when the ninth wicket fell but managed to keep most of the strike and to hit some telling blows in an innings of 200 balls which included 12 fours and five sixes.

South Africa took the second new ball with the total on 263 but still kept most of their fielders on the boundary for Perera, who hit sixes off both Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada before slashing Rabada to third man for the winning boundary.

Perera has been praised after one of the all-time great Test knocks. Pic: Getty
Perera has been praised after one of the all-time great Test knocks. Pic: Getty

Perera, who came into the match with a career batting average below 30 and with his only previous century in 14 previous Tests having been made against Zimbabwe in Harare two seasons ago, shared three important partnerships.

He put on 58 for the fourth wicket with debutant Oshado Fernando (37) and 96 for the sixth wicket with Dhananjaya de Silva (48) before his extraordinary association with Vishwa Fernando.

The stand with Oshado Fernando was broken by Dale Steyn, who had Fernando caught at second slip by South African captain Faf du Plessis. Two balls later he caught Niroshan Dickwella off his own bowling.

Sri Lanka were still a distant 194 runs short of their target when Perera was joined by De Silva, Sri Lanka?s last recognised batsman.

South Africa, who were without opening bowler Vernon Philander because of a strained left hamstring, struggled for the next two hours as Perera and De Silva brought the target down to single figures.

Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj took two wickets off successive balls, dismissing De Silva leg before wicket and having Suranga Lakmal caught at slip.

The next two wickets fell quickly ? but what seemed certain victory for South Africa turned into a triumph for the tourists, who are assured of at least a share of the honours in a two-match series.

The second Test starts in Port Elizabeth on Thursday.

With agencies