Under dark Durban skies, Sri Lanka had very nearly their perfect first morning of a first Test, their captain inserting the opposition, before his seamers removed four South Africa batters.

But only 20.4 overs were possible on the first day before rain arrived just before scheduled lunch. It stayed put over Kingsmead, until play was called off at around 3pm.

Vishwa Fernando and Asitha Fernando had led Sri Lanka’s advances, zipping the ball around on a somewhat moist surface to frequently beat and occasionally collect the outside edges of South African bats.

Vishwa, the left-arm quick, was especially disciplined, finding significant inswing in the air from over the wicket, as well as away movement off the deck. He took the wicket of Tony de Zorzi, who was caught by a diving Kamindu Mendis at second slip, soon after Asitha had Aiden Markram held in the cordon – both bowlers striking in their second over of the day.

Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs scratched their way through to the drinks break, putting on 32 together, with many of those runs coming off the outside edge through deep third. But Lahiru Kumara, Sri Lanka’s fastest bowler, made amends for a wayward first over by having Stubbs fend one to third slip. Soon after, he nipped a ball through David Bedingham’s defenses to send his off stump cartwheeling – the most dramatic dismissal of a short day’s play.

Sri Lanka could have had an even better morning but for two indiscretions. Bavuma, who survived 47 balls and ended the day on 28, should have been held by Dimuth Karunaratne for 1, but he grassed the low chance at second slip. That was off the bowling of Vishwa. Then, shortly before rain arrived to cut the session four minutes short, Bavuma edged a Kumara bouncer he was trying hook, but Kumara was found to have marginally overstepped. Bavuma was on his way to the dressing room when the umpires called him back. He was on 20 at that point.

Bavuma, however, was perhaps the most restrained of South Africa’s batters. He covered the line of his stumps nicely as Sri Lanka’s opening bowlers plugged away in the channel, and though he frequently had his outside edge beaten, he did not appear especially eager to feel bat on ball. He had wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreyne for company when the showers came through.

Though Kumara claimed two wickets, his four overs cost 35 runs. Asitha and Vishwa both went at less than three an over.

The forecast for Thursday is for better weather. Sri Lanka will feel they did justice to the good bowling conditions they got by dint of having won the toss.

(espncricinfo.com)

Australia’s most decorated Olympian, swimmer Emma McKeon, has retired from the sport

The 30-year-old won six gold medals in a haul of 14 won across three Olympic Games.

“I am officially retiring from competitive swimming,” she wrote on Instagram.

“Leading into Paris, I knew it would be my last Olympics, and the months since have given me time to reflect on my journey, and think about what I wanted my future to look like in swimming.

“I am proud of myself for giving my swimming career absolutely everything, both physically and mentally.

“I wanted to see what I was capable of – and I did.”

McKeon won three relay medals and individual bronze in the 200m freestyle at her first Games in Rio 2016.

She then won four golds among a seven-medal haul at Tokyo 2020. Her 11 medals at that point meant she surpassed an Australian record of nine medals won by both Ian Thorpe and Leisel Jones.

McKeon added a further three Olympic medals to her tally at the Paris 2024 Games.

“Now I am excited to see how I can push myself in other ways, and for all the things that life has in store,” she added.

“She always carried herself with dignity, and while we all saw her grace – the public can not truly appreciate how tough she is,” Australia’s swimming coach Rohan Taylor said.

(BBC News)

Rafael Nadal’s illustrious career came to an end as Spain lost to the Netherlands in the Davis Cup on an emotional night in Malaga.

Spanish great Nadal, who has won 22 Grand Slam titles, recently announced the men’s team event would be the last of his career.

In front of a packed, partisan crowd, 38-year-old Nadal lost 6-4 6-4 to Botic van de Zandschulp as the Netherlands took an early lead in the best-of-three quarter-final tie.

Carlos Alcaraz, who has taken over the mantle as Spain’s leading player, beat Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (7-0) 6-3 in the second singles match to keep Nadal’s hopes of another potential farewell appearance alive.

But Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers were beaten 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-3) by Van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof in the deciding doubles.

“It has been 20 years of a professional career in which you have carried me through the good times, and in the bad you pushed me to keep playing,” Nadal told the crowd.

“I want to congratulate the Netherlands and thank the whole Spanish team that is here, who have let me play the Davis Cup again, which has not gone as we all wanted. I have given everything I had.

“The truth is that you never want to get to this point. I’m not tired of playing tennis but my body doesn’t want to play anymore and you have to accept that. I feel super privileged, I’ve been able to make my hobby my profession for a long time.”

(BBC News)