By Srian Obeyesekere
South Africa romped to a high of 191 for 3 wickets with South African captain Temba Bavuma continuing to be Sri Lsnka’s hounder unbeaten on 45 in wresting control of the second test from the even keel first iñnings exchanges of a 30-rin lead Sri Lanka brought it down to despite the specialist batsmen disappointing on the third day mainly due to a ninth-wicket 29-run partnership between a defiant Prabath Jayasuriya 24 from 32 balls sided by Vishwa Fernando who braved 31 balls of a rearing pace battery at St. George’s Park, Gqeberha.
Having wrested away Sri Lanka’s threatening overnight 243 for 3 grip in running through the last seven wickets for the addition of 85 runs with overnight batsmen Angelo Mathews and Kamindu Mendis managing just 4 and 10 respectivey, skipper Dhananjaya de Silva 14, Kusal Mendis 16 reduced by the pace-spin attack of Marco Jansen who undid Mathews undone by the rising delivery that has been the scourge of the Lankan batting edging to wicket keeper Kyle Verreynne and following up by having him caught by Markram with Dane Peterson then removing Dhananjaya for 14 also held by Markram and going on to clean bowling Kusal Mendis for 16 as Sri Lanka perished to 298 for 7 by those double strikes. Peterson went on to run through the innings also accounting for Lahiru Kumara for a duck and Vishwa Fernando in a blistering 5 for 71 haul. Maharaj ended Jayasuriya’s resistance having him stumped.
South Africa enjoyed a rousing second innings despite first innings centurion Ryan Rickleton’ leg before wicket to Prabath Jayasuriya for 24 and before him Toni de Zorzi also bowled by Jayasuriya for 19 with Bavuma joining Triston Stubbs on 36 in extending the grip in an unfinished fourth wicket 82 bonding from where Aiden Markram left in the flourish of a cornerstone,55 off 75 balls hitting 5 boundaries.
South Africa 358 and 191 for 3 (Markram 55, Bavuma 48, Stubbs 36, Jayasuriya 2-75) lead Sri Lanka 328 (Nissanka 89, Kamindu 48, Mathews 44, Chandimal 44, Paterson 5-71, Maharaj 2-65, Jansen 2-100) by 221 runs
