2nd Test
Day-2 Evening Session Highlights:
Sri Lanka’s fightback on Day 2 is driven by a unified batting effort
At The Stumps of Day-2:
South Africa scored 358 (1st Innings), where as Sri Lanka scored 242/3 (1st Innings).
So, finally South Africa lead by 116 runs.
A collective batting effort, spearheaded by Pathum Nissanka’s 89, propelled Sri Lanka into a strong position at the close of Day 2 in the second Test at St George’s Park.
At stumps on Friday (December 6), the visitors were 242 for 3, having earlier dismissed South Africa for 358, despite a century from Kyle Verreynne.
Having reduced the hosts to 269 for 7 on the first day, Sri Lanka made an early breakthrough on the second morning when Vishwa Fernando had Keshav Maharaj caught at slip for a duck.
However, a counter-attacking 66-run partnership for the ninth wicket between Verreynne and Kagiso Rabada proved invaluable, helping the hosts post a respectable total.
Sri Lankan pacers attempted to unsettle the pair with a short-ball strategy, but it backfired.
Both Rabada and Verreynne played aggressively, finding the boundary with regularity.
Rabada was eventually dismissed when he misjudged a short delivery from Asitha Fernando, who cleaned him up with a well-executed length ball.
With only the No. 11 batsman left, Verreynne went on the attack, hitting three sixes in five balls to bring up his century.
Dane Paterson also contributed a couple of boundaries before being caught off a thick edge.
Sri Lanka began their innings cautiously, benefiting from some erratic early bowling by South Africa, which allowed them to accumulate 12 byes before the lunch break.
South Africa struck early in the second session when Dimuth Karunaratne edged a cut shot to the ‘keeper off Rabada.
However, Nissanka, playing a steady knock, and the more aggressive Dinesh Chandimal ensured the momentum stayed with the visitors.
Nissanka had his share of luck, surviving close leg-before appeals and a dropped catch.
The pair added 109 runs for the second wicket, swinging the balance firmly in Sri Lanka’s favor.
Nissanka began to find his rhythm after Tea, hitting a couple of stunning boundaries and soon bringing up his seventh Test fifty.
He also slog-swept Maharaj for a six, while Chandimal took a more measured approach.
However, after a period of quiet batting, Chandimal, on 44, edged Paterson to the ‘keeper.
Sri Lanka slowed down briefly, focusing on rotating the strike, but Angelo Mathews revived the innings with a flurry of boundaries.
Just as they seemed to be in control, Nissanka missed a slog-sweep off Maharaj and was bowled out.
At 199 for 3, Sri Lanka steadied in the final hour of the day.
Nonetheless, an unbeaten 43-run stand between Mathews and Kamindu Mendis has placed them in a solid position heading into the third day’s play.
Sri Lanka now trail South Africa by 116 runs.
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