Batsman Aiden Markram emerged understandably unfulfilled after South Africa slipped to 222 all out on day one of the second and final Test against Sri Lanka at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on Thursday.

Markram was the hosts’ second-highest scorer with 60, behind wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock’s 86. Middle-order batsman Hashim Amla and Temba Bavuma perished for ducks, while opener Dean Elgar and debutant all-rounder Wiaan Mulder managed a mere six and nine runs respectively.

‘Coming into this Test match, we really wanted to score big and for batters to get big centuries,’ said Markram.

‘We are a bit disappointed, but I thought the Sri Lankans bowled well. There was a bit of lateral movement and a bit of swing. It was really tough.

‘I felt I needed to grind out quite hard for a long period of time. To get out was bitterly disappointing.’

Left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando was Sri Lanka’s most impressive bowler statistically, en route to telling figures of three for 62. His haul included the key dismissals of Elgar and Amla after Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis won the toss and opted to bat first.

‘I had confidence that I could take two or three wickets with the new ball. I was bowling outswingers and was going too wide, so I tried to use the crease and then get one in. Elgar was looking for the outswinger but it cut back in,’ added Fernando.

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