Sri Lanka v South Africa, 2014

At Galle, July 16-20, 2014. South Africa won by 153 runs. Toss: South Africa.
Superb fast bowling, persistent spin, patient batting in testing circumstances, some flair, even a ball-tampering controversy - this contest had a bit of everything. Steyn's match figures of nine for 99 were the best for a fast bowler at Galle, and the main difference between two sides evenly matched in these conditions. South Africa's reward was their first Test victory in their last three tours to Sri Lanka.

Past experience had left the South Africans fixated on the importance of a first-innings score in excess of 400, and they were bloody-minded in their determination to get there, no matter how long it took. Elgar actually made a brisk start en route to a tidy second Test century, clinched with a straight six but, when the fifth wicket fell at 266, the blockade began in earnest. Duminy, coming in at No. 8, behind de Kock (keeping wicket in Tests for the first time because de Villiers had a tight hamstring) and nightwatchman Steyn, sourced runs with the patience of a gold-panner, happy to trust Philander and Morkel as 189 were added before the declaration at 455 for nine.

Sri Lanka survived 12 overs at the end of the second day, but South Africa's gamble on the value of scoreboard pressure paid off when Sangakkara bottom-edged a pull against Morkel on to his stumps, and Steyn trapped Jayawardene with an inswinging yorker. Tharanga's entertaining attempt to change the momentum, in his first Test for six and a half years, ended with a charge at Duminy's off-spin - and a stumping by at least three yards.

At tea on the third day, Sri Lanka were 182 for four, with Thirimanne and Mathews well set. Then Steyn produced a rapid, often unplayable spell of swing bowling, including three for five in 15 balls, which transformed the match. It was during the tea break that the Ten Sports TV director showed footage of Philander scratching the ball to match referee Jeff Crowe and South Africa team manager Mohammed Moosajee, who requested it not be broadcast. Ten Sports remained pliant until the closing stages of the game, a few minutes after a Sri Lanka Cricket official had visited the production crew and demanded the footage be shown.

By then, Crowe and the umpires had already laid a charge of "intending" to alter the condition of the ball, even if they found no evidence of a mark. Philander did not contest the charge, and was fined 75% of his match fee, although Mathews acknowledged that the sea-breeze could also assist swing with an older ball. This was the third time in nine months that the South Africans had come under the scanner for ball-tampering in a Test match.

With Eranga absent because of a blow to the finger inflicted by Morkel, the spinners Herath and Dilruwan Perera shouldered almost all the bowling in South Africa's second innings. De Villiers was at his creative best in pursuit of quick runs to add to the lead of 163. Lofted drives and reverse sweeps brought him a 55-ball half-century, but Amla's declaration at tea still caught everyone beyond his closest allies by surprise. A target of 370 in four sessions on a pitch largely intact gave Sri Lanka an outside chance, but it hinged on the great veterans, Sangakkara and Jayawardene.

At the end of the fourth day, on 110 for one, with Sangakkara unbeaten and unconcerned on 58 (and the first man to pass 1,000 Test runs in the calendar year), hopes were growing. Steyn, almost inevitably, made the breakthrough on the fifth morning, thanks to a fine catch by de Kock to oust Silva, and Morkel produced a beauty to find Jayawardene's outside edge. Still, Sangakkara had moved smoothly and ominously to 76 when he fell to the worst ball of the match, a half-tracker from Duminy which he pulled straight to short midwicket. It took at least 30 seconds for Sangakkara's brain to command his legs to drag him off the field.

Steyn and Morkel ended up with 16 of the 20 wickets in a famous win. Morkel defied the lack of pace and bounce in the pitch through brute force and sheer strength, while Steyn maintained a full length. After receiving the match award, he reminded everyone: "There's always pace in the air."
Man of the Match: D. W. Steyn