South Africa are on the verge of securing a massive win in their opening Test against Sri Lanka at the Kingsmead in Durban. At Stumps on Day 3, Sri Lanka needed 413 runs to win with five wickets left in their second innings. Chasing a colossal target of 516, the visitors found themselves at 103 …
SA vs SL: South Africa on cusp of huge win as Sri Lanka keep tottering in Durban Test
South Africa are on the verge of securing a massive win in their opening Test against Sri Lanka at the Kingsmead in Durban. At Stumps on Day 3, Sri Lanka needed 413 runs to win with five wickets left in their second innings. Chasing a colossal target of 516, the visitors found themselves at 103 for five with two days left in the Test match.
South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test Day 3 Updates
Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen picked up two wickets apiece while Gerald Coetzee churned the prized wicket of Pathum Nissanka. Keshav Maharaj chipped in with four economical overs. Dinesh Chandimal stayed not out on 29 and along with him was skipper Dhananjaya de Silva.
Nissanka and Angelo Mathews got starts with knocks of 23 and 25 respectively, before getting out. The decision to send Prabath Jayasuriya also backfired after Rabada removed him.
Stubbs, Bavuma make Sri Lanka struggle
Earlier, South Africa became unstoppable after they took a substantial lead of 149 runs in their first innings. Although Tony de Zorzi and Wiaan Mulder could not score big, Tristan Stubbs and Temba Bavuma made sure that Sri Lanka weren’t allowed to get a foothold back into the contest.
Stubbs scored 122 runs off 221 balls with the help of nine fours and two sixes. Bavuma scored 70 runs in the first innings and he backed it up with a 113-run knock in the second. It was a 249-run partnership between Stubbs and Bavuma that fizzled the spirit out of the Sri Lankans.
David Bedingham smashed two fours and a six on his way to an unbeaten 11-ball 21. Vishwa Fernando and Jayasuriya got two wickets each. On the back of a stupendous batting show, South Africa declared their innings at 366 for five after which the bowlers took charge to put pressure on the Sri Lankan batting.
