Sangakkara enjoys Proteas' negativity

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Cricket365
July 27, 2014

Batsman Kumar Sangakkara questioned South Africa's defensive tactics, as Sri Lanka maintained command on day four of the second and final Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo on Sunday.

The Sri Lankans climbed to a formidable first-innings total of 421 all out and, later, benefited from a pedestrian run-rate of just 2.09 from the Proteas, who slipped to 282 all out in the wake of spinner Dilruwan Perera's five-wicket haul.

The hosts' romped to a brisk 229 for eight in the second innings and have since reduced the opposition to 38 for one in 17 overs – and a 331-run deficit. While spinner Rangana Herath removed opener Alviro Petersen cheaply, the left-handed Dean Elgar and Quinton de Kock will resume on 13 and 21 not out respectively on Monday.

"Even in the first innings I thought they were playing for time rather than scoring runs. That allowed us to put pressure on them," he said after the day's play," said Sangakkara.

"The more negative approach you have, the more defensive shots you play. So, we are just happy to have fielders around and make sure they play as defensively as possible."

The tourists won the first Test in convincing fashion at the Galle International Stadium last week and only need a draw in Colombo to achieve a rare series win in Sri Lanka – and return to the helm of the International Cricket Council's rankings ahead of Australia.

Wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella, meanwhile, has copped a match fee fine of 10 percent – and an official reprimand – after claiming an unfair catch day three of the series decider. The transgression occurred in the seventh over on Saturday, when batsman AB de Villiers' edge down the leg-side bounced before the ball landed in Dickwella's gloves. The debutant appealed regardless.

He later admitted to a level one breach of the International Cricket Council's code of conduct, which relates to behaviour either "contrary to the spirit of the game" or "brings the game into disrepute." The 21-year-old accepted the sanction imposed by match referee Jeff Crowe.