Tony de Zorzi and Ryan Rickelton’s 131 opening stand on day one of the first unofficial four-day Test in Sri Lanka gave the Emerging side the perfect start.
After winning the toss, De Zorzi was crucial to his side reaching 318-7 by scoring 77 off 124 balls (12 fours and a six). The skipper was supported by Rickelton 63 off 113 balls (seven fours). The pair put on 112 before lunch at a confident rate of exactly four to the over.
There was another half-century from Matthew Breetzke (73 off 113 balls, 10 fours), a member of this year’s SA U19 World Cup squad. Breetzke and Tshepang Dithole shared the other significant partnership of the innings of 85 for the fifth wicket.
The South Africans went into the last half-hour of the match with an imposing total of 300-4 in 84 overs before losing three wickets for one run in the closing overs.
Malinda Pushpakumara was the pick of the Sri Lankan attack, taking 5-91 in a marathon effort of 33 overs.
Photo: Aubrey Kgakatsi/BackpagePix
