Final result
South Africa Cricket won by 109 runs
Player of the match: D Paterson
Result · Test Cricket
South Africa Cricket vs Sri Lanka
Result · Test Cricket
Venue par · 186Chase success · 50%POTM · D Paterson
Match preview & overview
South Africa win by 109 runs as Bavuma and Paterson star in Port Elizabeth Test
South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 109 runs in the Port Elizabeth Test, which began on 5 December 2024 at St George's Park. Winning the toss and choosing to bat, South Africa posted 358 in their first innings before Sri Lanka replied with a competitive 328. South Africa's second innings of 317 set the tourists a target of 348, and they were bowled out for 238 to hand the hosts the win. Durandt Paterson was named player of the match. The result extended South Africa's unbeaten run against Sri Lanka to five consecutive completed fixtures across all formats.
Temba Bavuma's first-innings knock of 144 off 225 balls was the innings that shaped the match. On a ground where the average first-innings score across 133 Tests and one-day matches sits at just 186, a score of 358 represents a substantial overperformance. Sri Lanka's 328 in reply was equally above par, and for two days the series looked much closer than the head-to-head numbers suggested it should be.
The fourth innings proved decisive. Sri Lanka's batters needed 348 to win on a pitch that had already faced three completed innings of batting. They reached 238 before the last wicket fell, leaving them 109 runs short. Paterson's role in that final-day collapse was the difference.
Pitch report & venue insights
St George's Park, Port Elizabeth — 133-match sample
Aggregate conditions from 2002–2025. Numbers that tend to decide matches at this ground — par score, chase success, powerplay averages and toss bias.
133
T20 matches hosted
186
Avg 1st-innings score
157
Avg 2nd-innings score
50%
Chase success rate
39
Avg powerplay runs
43%
Toss-field rate
Key talking points
Moments the match hinged on
Headline angle
South Africa set a 348-run fourth-innings target
After posting 358 in their first innings and 317 in their third, South Africa gave Sri Lanka a 348-run target on the final stretch. The visitors fell well short, bowled out for 238 to hand the hosts a 109-run victory.
Angle 02
Bavuma's 144 anchored the first-innings total
Angle 03
D Paterson named player of the match
Angle 04
St George's Park kept its reputation for low scoring
Angle 05
South Africa's head-to-head dominance continues
Betting & analytical angles
Angles the data surfaced
- Top South Africa batter markets may attract attention given Bavuma's form and the ground's historically low average scores, which tend to concentrate runs among a handful of individual innings.
- Player-of-the-match markets at Test level often favour bowlers at St George's Park; the venue's low average scores (186 first innings across 133 matches) suggest seamers and spinners take the decisive roles.
- Fourth-innings chases at this venue carry a 49 per cent success rate across 133 matches, so markets tied to the fourth-innings result may reflect more uncertainty than the raw target figure implies.
- South Africa's five-match winning run against Sri Lanka across all formats is relevant context for any series-level outright markets, though individual Test conditions can always level the playing field.
For editorial context only. Not a forecast and not betting advice. 18+ only, please gamble responsibly.
Frequently asked
Questions about South Africa Cricket vs Sri Lanka
Who won the South Africa vs Sri Lanka Test at Port Elizabeth in December 2024?
South Africa won by 109 runs. They set Sri Lanka a target of 348 in the fourth innings and bowled them out for 238. The match was played at St George's Park, Port Elizabeth, starting on 5 December 2024.
What were the full scores in the Port Elizabeth Test?
South Africa scored 358 in their first innings and 317 in their second. Sri Lanka replied with 328 in the first innings and 238 in the fourth, falling 109 runs short of the 348 target required for victory.
Who was player of the match in the South Africa vs Sri Lanka Test?
Durandt Paterson was named player of the match. His bowling contribution across the Test was judged the most decisive individual performance of the game.
How did Temba Bavuma perform in the Port Elizabeth Test?
Bavuma scored 144 off 225 balls in South Africa's first innings of 358. That score is the highest individual batting figure recorded at St George's Park in the available data for this fixture.
Where can UK fans watch South Africa Test cricket?
South Africa Test matches are typically broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket, available via satellite, Sky Go, or a NOW TV day or week pass. BBC Test Match Special provides radio commentary for selected fixtures, including some South Africa home Tests.
What is the head-to-head record between South Africa and Sri Lanka?
Across 81 meetings in all formats, South Africa lead 50 wins to 28, with one no result. South Africa have won each of the last five completed fixtures between the sides, with margins ranging from 6 wickets to 233 runs.
Photo credits (1)
- Kagiso Rabada — photo by Blue Square Thing, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source