Proteas make bright start to Sri Lanka test

GALLE Sri Lanka (Reuters) – South Africa made a bright start to the two-test series against Sri Lanka and posted an impressive lunch score of 111 for one after winning the toss and electing to bat on day one of the opener on Wednesday.

Opener Dean Elgar played with a lot of freedom on a flat track that offered hardly any assistance to the bowlers and had struck nine fours and one six to be 62 not out at the break. Faf du Plessis was unbeaten alongside him on 14.

The wicket of Elgar's opening partner Alviro Petersen was the only success Sri Lanka had in a session where they had used all of their bowlers.

Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera gave Sri Lanka the initial breakthrough by trapping Petersen lbw on the back foot for 34, a decision confirmed after an unsuccessful review by the batsman.

The opening partnership was worth 70 runs with Elgar having contributed exactly half of the total. Perera went into the break with figures of 1-31 off seven overs.