LONDON: Dimuth Karunaratne’s Sri Lanka were given no chance before their Test series against South Africa — they were injury-hit and out-of-form — but stunned everyone on Saturday by clinching their first away series win against the Proteas. And it was the first victory for any Test team on South African soil other than England and Australia. It was more than just a win, too, because it meant the plucky Sri Lankans swept the two-match series. The highly-rated Proteas were shut out in a home series for the first time in more than ten years and for only the second time since returning to international cricket after the end of apartheid. Indeed, before this series, South Africa’s home record against teams other than England and the Baggy Greens since they first faced another team (New Zealand in 1953) was played 36, won 33, drawn three. You can now add “one defeat,” thanks to the historic success from the first Asian team to win in South Africa — even the mighty India and Pakistan have never managed to win an away series there. “I think it’s really a great feeling for me and the team,” new captain Karunaratne said. “It’s not easy when you come to South Africa and to win a series 2-0, it’s a lot of hard work. I think the guys enjoyed it a lot, that’s why we created history.” Karunaratne hailed the achievements of his happy, united team. “We told them, ‘play your normal game, if you can hit over the fielder go for it,’ when you play like that, South Africa are on the back foot. “Our bowling line-up did a really good job, especially the youngsters,” he said. Appointed only as an “interim” captain, Karunaratne said he had a simple message for his players when he took over at a time of apparent turmoil in Sri Lankan cricket. “When I started, I said to my boys, ‘whatever happens you have to keep smiling, keep enjoying. If you’re not enjoying you don’t get to a hundred percent’.” Kusal Mendis and Oshada Fernando dominated South Africa’s famed fast-bowling attack to seal the victory, with Mendis finishing on 84 not out and Fernando, in his debut series, 75 not out. Their partnership of 163 saw Sri Lanka home and they pummeled the South African bowlers for good measure. The partnership came off just 213 balls as Sri Lanka raced to victory. “I’m happy about today because we were down in the dumps,” Mendis said. If anyone had a right to be down in the dumps, it was South African captain Faf du Plessis who described the series defeat as the “biggest low as a player in the Proteas team.” Du Plessis said he was at a loss to explain how 31 wickets fell on the first two days. “When I was batting in both innings I felt it was a really good batting pitch,” he said. “Mentally we were a bit soft in giving wickets away pretty easily.” Sri Lanka made it four wins in a row against South Africa after winning two matches at home last year. “They have been better than us home and away,” admitted Du Plessis. “We were outplayed in their back yard but there’s no excuse when Sri Lanka come here.”