Stumps 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
Sri Lanka’s first menace got here via spin when Jayasuriya foxed Tony de Zorzi with one which curved via the bat-pad hole as he seemed to drive and ended a 55-run first-wicket stand. De Zorzi’s sequence ended with a disappointing complete of 40 runs from 4 innings, having come into it on the again of registering 177 in Bangladesh.
Markram, his opening accomplice, fared higher regardless of edging Asitha Fernando’s second supply. The possibility fell in need of second slip. Markram seemed more and more assured as his innings grew however by no means absolutely snug. He approached fifty when he slashed at a brief, large Vishwa supply and edged previous gully for 4 and received there with a beautiful cowl drive which re-asserted his management. Importantly for him, it was his first fifty in 12 accomplished innings throughout codecs. He solely lasted six extra balls earlier than he edged a flashing cowl drive off Vishwa and was caught one-handed by a diving Kusal Mendis, whose powers of anticipation have been on full show.
Ryan Rickelton began with the identical watchfulness as his first innings however couldn’t proceed to a different century. He missed a Jayasuriya ball that skidded on to hit him in entrance of center stump and needed to go for twenty-four.
Stubbs and Bavuma, who reunited after notching up second-innings a whole lot in Durban, absorbed strain for the following eight overs. Solely 13 runs have been scored. Sri Lanka reviewed an lbw shout in opposition to Stubbs off Asitha when Stubbs left a ball that appeared to be happening leg. Ball-tracking confirmed that that was the case. Bavuma edged Kumara via the vacant slip space for his first boundary however then he pulled Jayasuriya in entrance of sq. and launched him over long-off, each instances for six. Stubbs, as anticipated, was the extra adventurous accomplice and performed his photographs even because the day grew lengthy. A second of fortune favoured Stubbs within the third-last over of the day as he tried a reverse scoop and bottom-edged it between Mendis and first slip.
Issues went South Africa’s approach nearly from the get-go when Marco Jansen broke issues open with the previous ball within the tenth over of the morning. He received a supply to kick up off the floor to a well-set Angelo Mathews, who gloved as he tried to fend it off. Kyle Verreynne took the catch in entrance of his face.
After conceding simply 24 runs within the first 13 overs of the day, South Africa took the brand new ball as quickly because it turned obtainable and it introduced speedy reward. Kamindu Mendis, who had earlier been put down by de Zorzi at brief leg, nicked off third ball as Jansen received further bounce. Jansen then rapped Kusal Mendis on the glove first up and will have had him out twice within the area of 4 overs.
Kusal supplied his first likelihood off the third ball he confronted, when he was uncertain about leaving a ball down leg and received bat on it. Verreynne needed to dive full stretch to his left and received fingertips on it however will possible mark that down as a troublesome ask. The subsequent alternative was extra simple. Kusal received a thick outdoors edge to first slip however Markam, at second, dived throughout David Bedingham and dropped it. Kusal then despatched a wholesome edge to the appropriate of Stubbs at gully off Paterson, who took over from Jansen and would go on to have the final say.
After bowling two glorious spells on the second day, Paterson continued to search out late motion and maintained tight traces, and he reaped the advantages. Dhananjaya de Silva edged the primary ball of his second over, the place issues hit fast-forward. Two balls later, Kusal left a supply that nipped again into him and dislodged the bails, and two after that, Lahiru Kumara was stunningly caught by Jansen’s outstretched left hand at gully. Sri Lanka went from a fairly snug 297 for five to 298 for 8, and South Africa have been 60 runs forward.
Jayasuriya ate into that lead with three well-placed fours to pull the innings into the second session the place Paterson continued seeking a five-for. He thought he had it when he hit Jayasuriya on the total on the pad and satisfied Bavuma to evaluation however ball-tracking returned an umpire’s name verdict on leg stump.
In his subsequent over, Paterson received a regulation dismissal when Vishwa Fernando edged him to Verreynne. A pumped-up Paterson introduced out the baby-cradle celebration for his new child youngster. 5 balls later, Jayasuriya stepped far out of his crease to a tossed-up ball from Maharaj, and was stumped. Sri Lanka’s innings ended 25 minutes into the second session, with South Africa 30 runs within the lead.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s correspondent for South Africa and girls’s cricket
