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<\/a><\/p>\nJenny Bernstein<\/p>\n
15 December 2011<\/p>\n
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Pretoria \u2014 South Africa were in a commanding position at 90 for one stumps on the first-day of the opening Test against Sri Lanka at Supersport Park in Centurion on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Vernon Philander continued his remarkable start to Test cricket, taking his third successive five-wicket haul.<\/p>\n
He is the first South African to achieve this feat, playing in his first three Test matches.<\/p>\n
The visitors were dismissed for 180 runs before tea while South Africa reduced the deficit to 90 runs in the last session of the day.<\/p>\n
“I just try and keep things as simple as possible,” said Philander.<\/p>\n
“There was a bit of assistance out there today, which I tried to explore.” Philander’s first scalp was that of Kumar Sangakkara (1), who edged the ball towards Jacques Kallis at second slip.<\/p>\n
The 26 year-old seamer, who made his debut against Australia last month, then broke the half-century partnership between Tharanga Paranavitana and Mahela Jayawardene.<\/p>\n
He bowled a gem of a ball which straightened and went through the gap to split the middle and off stumps as Paranavitana was dismissed for 32.<\/p>\n
Thilan Samaraweera (36) and Kaushal Silva (0) were later dismissed off successive balls from Philander, both caught behind by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher and ended all hope for a Sri Lankan recovery.<\/p>\n
Angelo Mathews completed Philander’s five for 53.<\/p>\n
Mathews (38) had top-scored for the visitors sharing a 65-run stand with veteran Samaraweera.<\/p>\n
Steyn had made the initial breakthrough, removing Tillakaratne Dilshan (6), caught by Philander, as the visiting captain played a reckless, slog shot to mid-wicket.<\/p>\n
Steyn also grabbed the wicket of Mahela Jayewardene (30) and snuffed out the tail, finishing with figures of 4-18, as the Proteas made the most of the bowler-friendly pitch.<\/p>\n
Philander said the wicket was bowler-friendly but it did not alter his approach to his bowling.<\/p>\n
“The key for me is to bowl as if I am bowling on a flat wicket. The assistance is there anyway, so why look for anything else,” he said.<\/p>\n
“It was very slow this morning but it quickened up this afternoon which is where the big collapse came in.”<\/p>\n
In the last session, Jacques Rudolph and Graeme Smith (61) shared an 88-run opening stand before the skipper was out lbw to Dihara Fernando.<\/p>\n
Rudolph, unbeaten on 27, took 21 balls to get off the mark after he had dislocated his little finger on his left hand while fielding earlier in the day.<\/p>\n
Dale Steyn came in as the nightwatchman, but he has still to get off the mark.<\/p>\n
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