Stubbs and Bavuma punish Sri Lanka as Proteas' domination continues

Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs each completed half-centuries as the Proteas continued their dominance of the first Test, reaching lunch on day 3 at Kingsmead on 233/3.

With conditions the easiest they’ve been for batting throughout the match, South Africa stretched its lead to 382 runs.

Bavuma on 64 not out and Stubbs on an unbeaten 70 will resume after the interval, aiming to extend their fourth-wicket partnership that is worth 144 runs. SA’s main goal will be to bat the tourists out of contention, while also hoping the pitch continues dry and possibly breaks up before Sri Lanka have to bat again. 

Resuming on 132/3 on Friday morning, the Proteas batters eased their way through the morning session, with both increasingly looking comfortable as the movement through the air and off the pitch, which was so prevalent over the first two days, dissipated.

There was the odd delivery that misbehaved: Bavuma edged left-armer Vishwa Fernando but the ball fell just short of wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis, and Stubbs, on 33, was dropped by Angelo Mathews at first slip. The other difficulties were with the bounce, which occasionally was steep, with one ball from Vishwa hitting Bavuma on the bottom hand, momentarily causing him pain.

Those moments aside, however, Sri Lanka couldn’t force any breakthroughs and scoring became easier as the session unfolded, again under bright skies and in warm temperatures. 

Bavuma, who made 70 in the first innings, notched up a 23rd Test half-century, and has so far hit six fours. Stubbs struck five fours and a towering six off Dhananjaya de Silva. 

The only bad news for the Proteas was confirmation that Wiaan Mulder had been ruled out of the remainder of the series with a broken right middle finger. Mulder courageously chose to bat in the second innings, coming in at No 3 after contemplating opening the batting.

“I was thinking about it at the hospital and felt that's pretty much the only way I can impact the game because I have no power in my bottom hand,” said Mulder. 

The Proteas all-rounder was struck on the bottom hand while batting in the home side’s first innings on Thursday, and went for X-rays during the lunch interval which revealed the extent of the injury. 

After bowling out the Sri Lankans for 42, the Proteas resumed batting midway through the afternoon session, shortly after Mulder had returned from hospital.

“I only had top-hand shots, so in the end it came down to the decision to bat at No 3, which is the hardest time to bat at Kingsmead, with the ball moving,” said Mulder.

“I could pretty much play with a straight bat, so I didn't really need that much bottom hand, and if I could face 30 or 70 to 80 balls. That just gives the other guys a better chance to come in against a bit of an older ball, to play a bit freer.”

He spent 41 occasionally uncomfortable minutes at the crease, faced 31 balls and scored 15, facing and hitting one four — a glance to fine leg that didn’t require much use of his damaged hand. 

Mulder’s place in the squad will be taken by Warriors batter Matthew Breetzke for the second Test, which starts in Gqeberha next Thursday.