Josh van Heerden’s solid 81 underpinned South Africa U19’s good start in the second Youth Test against Sri Lanka, as they ran up 244 on day one.
The first ‘Test’ was drawn after an excellent comeback by the South Africans, who were bowled out for 206, but this time they played to Test conditions, building a solid base at a more moderate run-rate than was seen in the first effort.
Ricardo Vasconcelos, who scored a face-saving 78 last time out, scored another fifty, in partnership with Van Heerden as the two put on 101 for the first wicket, a record opening stand for the U19s, after winning the toss and electing to bat.
Van Heerden, a product of St Albans College, was an immovable rock, facing 209 balls and hitting just three fours, until he was caught behind off seamer Thilan Prasan. It was a long hard day’s running which occupied him for 71 of the 91 overs played.
While the total may be reasonably satisfying, the South African will rue the fact that after captain Wiaan Mulder had added 63 off 112 balls (4×4, 2×6), no other batsman stood up to take the game away from the Sri Lankans.
From 201-3, they scraped together just 43 runs for seven wickets. The damage was done by left-arm spinner Damitha Silva, who undermined the good work of the Sputh African openers. He ended with 4-56 off 33 overs.
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
