South Africa will need five more wickets to wrap up victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test when hostilities resume at St George’s Park today.
The Lankans will face the tougher task of scoring 248 more runs on the fifth day.
That was the equation when stumps were drawn yesterday with the visitors on 240/5 in search of their target of 488 – more than they have ever made in a fourth innings and more than has yet been scored in a fourth innings in South Africa.
South Africa resumed their second innings on 351/5‚ and Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock batted on for 11.5 overs before the declaration came.
Captain Du Plessis called a halt to the innings even as television umpire Rod Tucker was adjudicating De Kock’s challenge to being given out leg-before to Rangana Herath.
Both Du Plessis and De Kock had left the field by the time umpire Bruce Oxenford‚ who had given De Kock out originally‚ was able to raise his finger in confirmation.
South Africa thus declared on 406/6 with Du Plessis unbeaten on 67 and De Kock out for 69.
Their partnership of 129 was the highest in a match in which all four century stands have been shared by South Africans.
Sri Lanka’s opening pair‚ Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva‚ showed patience in a partnership that endured for almost two-and-a-half hours and realised 87 runs – the Lankans’ best for the first wicket in the 11 Tests they have played in South Africa.
South Africa made the breakthrough in the 13th over before tea when Karunaratne was run out for 43 by J-P Duminy’s throw from the covers.
Sri Lanka were another wicket down 14 balls later thanks to Kusal Perera’s ragged cut off Keshav Maharaj‚ which was edged to De Kock.
Silva was trapped in front by Kagiso Rabada for 48 eight balls after tea‚ but Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews stopped the slide with a stand of 75.
That ended when Mendis’ ill-considered ramp shot off Rabada was caught by De Kock.
Mendis’ 58 was Sri Lanka’s first half-century of the match.
The Lankans slipped to 225/5 when Dinesh Chandimal hoisted Maharaj to mid-on‚ where Rabada took a simple catch.
But their captain, Matthews‚ and Dhananjaya de Silva stood firm until the close.
Mathews led with an unbeaten 58. — Tiso Black Star Group Digital
Sri Lanka struggle to survive
The Lankans will face the tougher task of scoring 248 more runs on the fifth day.
That was the equation when stumps were drawn yesterday with the visitors on 240/5 in search of their target of 488 – more than they have ever made in a fourth innings and more than has yet been scored in a fourth innings in South Africa.
South Africa resumed their second innings on 351/5‚ and Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock batted on for 11.5 overs before the declaration came.
Captain Du Plessis called a halt to the innings even as television umpire Rod Tucker was adjudicating De Kock’s challenge to being given out leg-before to Rangana Herath.
Both Du Plessis and De Kock had left the field by the time umpire Bruce Oxenford‚ who had given De Kock out originally‚ was able to raise his finger in confirmation.
South Africa thus declared on 406/6 with Du Plessis unbeaten on 67 and De Kock out for 69.
Their partnership of 129 was the highest in a match in which all four century stands have been shared by South Africans.
Sri Lanka’s opening pair‚ Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva‚ showed patience in a partnership that endured for almost two-and-a-half hours and realised 87 runs – the Lankans’ best for the first wicket in the 11 Tests they have played in South Africa.
South Africa made the breakthrough in the 13th over before tea when Karunaratne was run out for 43 by J-P Duminy’s throw from the covers.
Sri Lanka were another wicket down 14 balls later thanks to Kusal Perera’s ragged cut off Keshav Maharaj‚ which was edged to De Kock.
Silva was trapped in front by Kagiso Rabada for 48 eight balls after tea‚ but Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews stopped the slide with a stand of 75.
That ended when Mendis’ ill-considered ramp shot off Rabada was caught by De Kock.
Mendis’ 58 was Sri Lanka’s first half-century of the match.
The Lankans slipped to 225/5 when Dinesh Chandimal hoisted Maharaj to mid-on‚ where Rabada took a simple catch.
But their captain, Matthews‚ and Dhananjaya de Silva stood firm until the close.
Mathews led with an unbeaten 58. — Tiso Black Star Group Digital
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