South Africa had to overcome determined resistance from Sri Lanka’s batsmen before winning the first Test by 233 runs at Kingsmead on Saturday.
The result lifted the Proteas to second place in the World Test Championship table, which is calculated on average points earned.
With their remaining three matches to be played at home – the second Test against Sri Lanka followed by two against Pakistan – South Africa are well-placed to qualify for the final at Lord’s in London next June if they carry on winning.
“That’s always been one of our goals as a team,” said Proteas captain Temba Bavuma. “The conversation has always been there. We’ve not been loud about it but that conversation will probably become more alive now.”
Set a massive 516 runs to win, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 282.
Left-arm fast bowler Marco Jansen, the destroyer in Sri Lanka’s record-low first innings of 42, took 4-73 to finish with match figures of 11-86.
In contrast to the first innings, the tourists made the Proteas work for their wickets on Saturday.
Dinesh Chandimal (83) and captain Dhananjaya de Silva (59) put on 95 for the sixth wicket and kept South Africa in the field for most of the morning after resuming at 101-5.
The breakthrough for the Proteas came when De Silva chipped a catch to midwicket off left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.
Kusal Mendis made an attacking 48 before he became Jansen’s 10th victim of the match, caught behind by Kyle Verreynne.
Chandimal and De Silva took advantage of the best batting conditions of the match against bowlers who were not as effective as they had been when the ball was shiny and new.
HIGHLIGHTS: Proteas vs Sri Lanka (1st Test, Day 4)
The Proteas were also without all-rounder Wiaan Mulder, who was ruled out of the rest of the series with a broken finger.
Chandimal, who was 29* overnight, continued to defy the bowlers on the ground where he marked his Test debut with two half-centuries 13 years ago. He made his 83 off 174 balls before being caught and bowled by Gerald Coetzee.
Photo: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images
