2nd Test
Day-3 Morning Session Highlights:
Dane Paterson and Marco Jansen has contributed to South Africa’s recovery in the first session
At The Lunch of Day-3:
Sri Lanka scored 318/8 (1st Innings), where as South Africa scored 358 (1st Innings).
So, finally Sri Lanka trail by 40 runs.
South Africa fought their way back into the Test match in Gqeberha with a dominant opening session on the third day, claiming five wickets.
By lunch, Sri Lanka still trailed by 40 runs, with only two wickets remaining.
After a couple of maiden overs to start, Kamindu Mendis got Sri Lanka going with a boundary, but South Africa kept things tight throughout.
With just four overs left before the second new ball, Sri Lanka hoped to have both Angelo Mathews and Mendis at the crease, but the veteran was undone by a delivery that rose unexpectedly, edging behind for a battling 44.
If that dismissal wasn’t enough for the visitors, Marco Jansen struck again with the new ball.
It took the left-arm pacer just three balls to get the breakthrough, as extra bounce sent Mendis back to the pavilion.
With both overnight batters gone in the first hour, Sri Lanka faced a daunting challenge.
Kusal Mendis looked uneasy and was even dropped by Aiden Markram in the slips.
Despite this, Sri Lanka managed a small partnership, inching towards 300.
However, a single over from Dane Paterson changed the course of the game.
The 35-year-old, playing in just his sixth Test, stunned the visitors with a remarkable three-wicket over.
Dhananjaya de Silva edged one to second slip, and Mendis was bowled by a nip-backer that shattered his stumps.
Paterson then completed his remarkable over by dismissing Lahiru Kumara, who was caught by Jansen at gully.
Although Prabath Jayasuriya hit consecutive boundaries to take Sri Lanka past 300, South Africa would now fancy their chances of gaining a narrow first-innings lead.
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