SA Emerging captain, Marques Ackerman, fancies his sides chances on the final day of the first CSA Emerging four-day match.
The visitors need 259 to win with eight wickets in hand, but the skipper believes his bowlers will take advantage of his opponents attacking nature and bundle them out before their target is reached.
‘It was a pretty good day for us, we’ve got a good lead, they still need another 259 and they are two down at the moment, hopefully we can restrict them early on because they love scoring boundaries’ he said. ‘The ball is turning, so we have a pretty good chance and I feel we’ve got enough on the board.’
Sri Lanka Emerging only added 16 runs to their overnight score of 299-9 before Bjorn Fortuin (7-103) took the final wicket of Keshan Wijerathne (5), their side finishing with 315 after the first over of day three.
The hosts were restricted to 266 thanks to Amila Aponso doing one better than Fortuin, taking 8-112. Jason Smith’s 87 and Leus du Plooy’s 53 formed part of a 110 fourth-wicket partnership putting their side 345 runs ahead.
The tourists’ reply was shaky losing Sandun Weerakkody (19) and Hashan Dumindu (2) within four balls of one another. Fortuin continued his good form by taking the wicket of Weerakkody in the fourth over, his partner Ngazi Sigwali doing the job at the other end taking out Dumindu.
Sri Lanka posted 82-2 at the close of play, Lahiru Milantha and Rumesh Buddika not out on 35 and 26 respectively.
Ackerman believes that his spinners, led by Fortuin, will play a big role on the final day.
‘Bjorn (Fortuin) is really getting a couple (of balls) to turn off the rough so that’s good news for us, a couple of early wickets for us in the morning and that could turn the game in our favour. They can expect a lot of spin from us,’ he concluded.
South Africa Emerging look to wrap up a victory on the final day on Wednesday, with the Sri Lankans looking to fight hard to steal a win.
Photo by Carl Fourie/Gallo Images
