Presenting biggest wins for SA vs SL in Tests
South Africa registered a thumping 233-run win over Sri Lanka in the opening Test in Durban. The win was largely due to Marco Jansen's career-best 11-wicket haul. The brilliant effort created new records at Kingsmead and sent the Sri Lankan batting line-up in tatters. Here we look at SA's biggest Test wins over Sri Lanka in terms of runs.
282-run triumph in Cape Town, 2017
A poor batting display saw SL lose the 2017 Cape Town Test by 282 runs. Centurions Dean Elgar (129) and Quinton de Kock (101) powered the hosts to 392/10 batting first. SL were folded for 110 in response as Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada dismissed four batters apiece. As SA declared their second innings at 224/7, the visitors were given a massive target of 507 runs. They were bundled out for 224 as Rabada claimed a six-fer.
233-run win in Durban, 2024
Jansen's brilliant bowling display in the aforementioned game saw him return with figures of 7/13, as SL were bowled out for their lowest-ever Test score - just 42 runs. This was after SA posted 191/10 batting first thanks to Temba Bavuma's 70. Bavuma (113) and Tristan Stubbs (122) hit centuries in the third innings as the hosts declared at 366/5. Chasing 516, the Lankans could only manage 282/10 and lost the contest by 233 runs.
206-run win in Gqeberha, 2016
The only other instance of SA winning a Test versus Sri Lanka by 200 or more runs was recorded in Gqeberha, 2016. Suranga Lakmal claimed a fifer as the hosts made 286/10 batting first. SL posted 205/10 in response as Philander returned with a fifer. Stephen Cook's 117 meant SA's second innings was declared at 406/5. Chasing 488, the visitors were bundled out for 281, handing SA a 206-run win.
153-run win in Galle, 2014
SA's biggest away win against the Lankans came in the 2014 Galle Test. Elgar (103) and JP Duminy (100*) helped the visitors post 455/9d batting first. SL managed 292/10 in response as Dale Steyn took five wickets. The Proteas side declared their second innings at 206/6. The Lankans perished for 216 in a chase of 370. Steyn and Morne Morkel took four wickets apiece as the Lankans lost by 153 runs.
