SA vs SL 2024/25, South Africa vs Sri Lanka 2nd Test, Day 3, Gqeberha Match Report, December 05 – 09, 2024

Online Editor "Valley Vision" 5 days ago

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Lunch Sri Lanka 318 for 8 (Nissanka 89, Kamindu 48, Mathews 44, Chandimal 44, Paterson 4-66, Jansen 2-100) trail South Africa 358 by 40 runs

Dane Paterson took three wickets in an over and Marco Jansen pocketed one apiece with the old and the new ball as South Africa took five wickets for 37 runs on the third morning at St George’s Park. Sri Lanka are 40 runs behind at lunch with no recognised batters left but have made good gains with 76 runs in the session.

After 88 overs of mostly hard grind – and with three dropped catches in the morning – matters hit fast-forward in Paterson’s second over, when he had Dhananjaya de Silva caught behind off his first ball, bowled Kusal Mendis, who left a delivery that nipped back in, off the third ball, and then had Lahiru Kumara stunningly caught by Jansen’s outstretched left-hand at gully off the fifth.

Sri Lanka went from a reasonably comfortable 297 for 5 to 298 for 8, and South Africa were 60 runs ahead at that stage. Sri Lanka have since eaten into that but on a surface that should deteriorate on the fourth and fifth days, South Africa will know that any advantage could prove crucial.

Play resumed with South Africa 13 overs away from the second new ball and they looked like they wanted to get to it quickly. They bowled those overs in 45 minutes and had some success. With six overs to go before the change of balls, Jansen was brought on from the end that has had less bounce and bowled an absolute snorter to Angelo Mathews. The ball kicked off the surface and Mathews’ could not keep his hands down as he edged to Kyle Verreynne, who took the catch in front of his face.

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