17 wickets fell on the second day of the Durban Test yesterday. Only 7 wickets fell in Friday's game. Five of Sri Lanka! Needless to say, travelers are in great danger. Proteas are smelling a big win.
South Africa took a lead of 515 runs in the second innings with the centuries of Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs. Sri Lanka needed 516 runs to win, and seven sessions were needed for a draw. In the last session, the Lankans are in danger when batting. They lost five wickets for 101 runs under the bowling of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen.
Dhananjaya de Silva ended the day with an unbroken partnership of 2 runs with Dinesh Chandimal when nightwatchman Prabath Jayasuriya was also dismissed. Chandimal is unbeaten on 29, De Silva is yet to open the run book with a single ball. At the end of the day, Sri Lanka scored 103 runs for 5 wickets. They are still 413 runs away from the target. South Africa need only 5 wickets to win.
South Africa started the third day's play at 132 for 3. Unbeaten on 17 and 24 runs, Stubbs and Bavuma finished the first session without a hitch. By that time both had met half century.
Bavuma and Stubbs scored centuries before being dismissed in the second session. Stubbs scored a century off 183 balls with 7 fours and 2 sixes. Bavuma played 202 balls to reach the three-figure home, with 9 fours.
Bavuma-Stubbs pair separated by adding 249 runs. Stubbs stopped at 122 runs off 221 balls with 9 fours and 2 sixes. Bavuma announced the innings after being dismissed for 113 runs off 228 balls. Proteas scored 366 runs for 5 wickets.
Vishwa Fernando and Prabath took two wickets each.
After the tea break, Rabada and Jansen's great line-length overcame the Lankan batting line-up. Pathum Nisanka (23) and Dimuth Karunaratne (4) failed to get off to a good start. Angelo Mathews (25) and Chandimal put up little resistance after losing 2 wickets for 38 runs. After breaking the pair of 44 runs, the visitors faced disaster again.
