Matara (Sri Lanka) - There may have been some confusion off the field yesterday about South Africa A's possible refusal to start the third unofficial ``Test'' on time but there was no confusion on the field as HD Ackerman plundered another half-century.
Following his well-executed three figure score at Kurunegala last Sunday, the solid top-order batsman showed why he should be in England and not Sri Lanka.
As South Africa A reached 194 for three at the close of a hot and steamy rain-shortened first day's play with Ackerman on 85 and Dale Benkenstein yet to open his account.
The A team skipper joined Ackerman after Martin van Jaarsveld put together a sound 55. It was a thoroughly professional perforamce during a partnership of 127 for the third wicket considering the background to the mood of the players over the last two days.
It was claimed early yeterday but later refuted by the team's management, that Dr Ali Bacher, the UCB's managing director had cut short his visit to the fifth Test at Headingley, to see for himself why the badly organised and run tour had reached a crisis point.
The anger of the A Team payers' reached a point on Thursday where they threatened to abort the first day's play unless there was a major improvement in the hotel facilities. They had already investigated the possibility of moving to a hotel in Galle.
Dissatisfaction with accommodation and the low standard of catering, both of which have been jacked up, along with poor ground facilities, left the team in no mood to start the game. But negotiations between UCB and Sri Lanka officials Thursday night went some way to sort out most of the problems.
Ackerman and Van Jaarsveld put the added frustrations which have been mounting on this tour behind them in a stylish partnerhip with Ackerman going to his 50 before tea. He hammered the left-arm spinner Dinuka Hettiarachchi for a four through the covers and then smashed the bowler over his head for a six.
To combat the attacking thrust from the South African A batsmen, Hettiarachchi bowled a negative line outside the leg stump in order to frustrate both batsmen. Such tactics will be outlawed under ICC playing conditions from October 1.
Van Jaarsveld may have been the junior partner in the stand, and the pronunciation of his name may have confused the local media, but the way he went to his 50 with a six off Malintha Warnapura just when a heavy shower caused a fourth stoppage in play.
Loots Bosman, opening the batting with Mark Bruyns after the South African A captain, Dale Benkenstein, won the toss. Herschelle Gibbs failed a fitness test before the start of the game with ligaments the reason for his sitting out this match, the last of the test series.
Day 2: Seventh ton for Ackerman
Matara (Sri Lanka) - One of the arguments advanced about HD Ackerman a few months ago was that he had neither the ability to play spin let alone score runs on the sub-continent.
Over the last seven days, however, he has successfully demolished both theories on the South African A tour of Sri Lanka, scoring his seventh first-class century this year yesterday as the tourists reached 332 for eight at the close of the second day of the rain-affected third Test.
His innings of 145 was one immense concentration and skill as he displayed all the Ackerman traits during two century partnerships which laid the foundation for the A Team's score when bad light cut a further 11 overs out of the game.
At this stage the series looks to be won by South Africa A with the limited-overs matches looming later this week.
As for Ackerman, who scored his first century this year back on January 19 against Border, it has been a measure of his success as he has overcome stomach cramps to battle his way to a second consecutive tour century at the Uyanwatte Stadium.
Anyone who manages to bat more than six hours in trying conditions with uncomfortable humanity levels and scorching temperatures deserves his place at the head of the first class averages on a tour which has been largely forgotten, or ignored, by the South African public.
Yet during his partnership with his captain, Dale Benkenstein, Ackerman again displayed remarkable patience with the odd dash of flair with two sixes and 10 fours in his innings.
The contrast in their styles was remarkable. While Ackerman continued to display deep levels of concentration in his run-gathering, Benkenstein was often enterprising. His fondness for the reverse sweep brought him any number of runs and his driving often caught the inner ring flat-footed. But instead of attacking the Lankans did little to help their advance their hopes of squaring the series. The spin attack was bereft of ideas and totally negative with defensive field settings to what appeared to be a pre-arranged plan.
If this was the only game plan they were prepared to consider it says little for their playing strength depth. Dinuka Hettiarachchi, the left-arm spinner, was not prepared to attack at all, and his line of bowling outside the leg stump would incur a reprimand had the ICC amendment been in force now and not October 1.
Generally, the Lankans have been disappointing, despite of the psychological advantages they have had in this series. The South African A tour has been beset by a variety of problems ranging from apalling hotel accommodation and meals to a lack of net practice facilities.
In the end Benkenstein lost his wicket when attempting to drive Malintha Warnapura wide of mid-on with his 67 more than a worthwhile contribution. At least the Lankan A new-ball attack of Eric Upasantha and Indika Gallage were hostile and prepared to force the batsmen to play shots. Their spell with the second new ball was the most aggressive produced on the tour. They gave away only 19 runs in a nine over burst which gave Ackerman and Benkenstein something to think about for a change.
The morning session was lost to a wet outfield after heavy overnight rain seeped under a portion of the covers.
Day 3: Gibbs on his way home
Matara (Sri Lanka) - Herschelle Gibbs smiled quite cheerfully yesterday when told he was returning to South Africa a week early for treatment to his injured left knee.
Gibbs was quite happy packing his bags at his Galle hotel last night preparing to leave his South Africa A teammates poised to enforce the follow on at the Uyanwatte Stadium in the third unofficial test.
Sri Lanka A were 140 for seven at the close of yet another rain-shortened day and still needing a further 83 runs to force the tourists to bat again. Gibbs aggravated an old injury on the day before the game and although his leg has responded to treatment the decision to send him back for specialised treatment at home was taken in the player's long-term interests.
The team's coach, Graham Ford, said Gibbs would be missed in the one-day series which is scheduled to start in Galle on Thursday although local officials say the match has been moved to this seaside town on the south coast of the island.
``Obviously we are going to miss him as he is such a talented player and an attacking one-day batsman,'' Ford said last night. ``He is more than just a potential match-winner. He is also one of the key players in the side.''
The gap left by Gibbs would open a place for one of the other players in the side.
Gibbs has batted well in his two first-class innings on the rain-affected tour, scoring 153 in Kurunegala where South Africa won the second unofficial Test of the series by an innings and four runs. But with the Commonwealth Games coming up later next month, Gibbs will need to be fit for that tournament in Malaysia.
The South African spin trio of Derek Crookes, Claude Henderson and Nicky Boje tied up the Sri Lanka A batsmen on the third afternoon of the game which had titled towards the tourists.
It was Henderson who earned the prized wicket of the attacking Avishka Gunawardena for 68. The tall SSC left-hander had five fours and a six to his credit in his 50 off 87 balls. But once he departed for 65 the middle-order disintegrated.
Manoj Mendis, the other experienced batsman in the side had a lapse in concentration and was brilliantly run out from the covers by Martin van Jaarsveld and Malintha Warnapura was snapped up with a bat-pad catch which looped up to give Nic Pothas his third catch of the innings.
Henderson, enjoying only his second spell of bowling of the tour, had two for 15 off 11 overs while Crookes had managed to removed Indika de Saram after the batsman's barndoor style of defence was finally penetrated.
South Africa A extended their innings yesterday when they added 40 runs to their overnight 332 for eight with Nic Pothas going on to score 21 at eight in the order. There was also a cheer for Henderson when he planted Warnapura for six before the son of the former Sri Lanka Test captain, Bandula, ending with five for 58.
This report supporterd by Lanka Internet Services Ltd (Colombo)