LunchSri Lanka Route 42 and 220 for 6 (Chandimal 69*, Mendis 12*, Jansen 2-45) South Africa 191 and 366 for December 5 for 295 runs
On a pitch that is theoretically just a stretch of the third day, after a rain-affected first day, and under a blue sky with a dry wind, the conditions were perfect for batting and Sri Lanka took advantage. De Silva settled in and batted at a good pace and was furious with himself when he swung back and played a harmless delivery from Keshav Maharaj straight to Tony de Zorzi at mid-wicket. His was the only wicket of the session and gave South Africa a chance, but they still need four wickets. Sri Lanka’s target is 296 runs.
South Africa started menacingly when Kagiso Rabada overcame De Silva’s lead with the fifth ball of the morning and Gerald Coetzee found him with the 12th over. The chance fell to Marco Jansen’s left in the gully. De Silva responded by piercing the gap at mid-wicket to hit Rabada for four and put Coetzee in front of square. Chandimal also handled a short ball from Coetzee well and cut it in for four points. He bowled one more before being replaced by Marco Jansen, who was then replaced by Keshav Maharaj, as South Africa attempted to dry up a finish.
Rabada bowled a five-over spell costing 17 runs to no avail, and once he was out, the Sri Lankan pair were able to settle in. De Silva pushed Jansen through the sheets, Chandimal hit him in the same area to raise the 150 and both faced Maharaj, who hardly had a turn. By the first drink break, Sri Lanka had scored 61 runs in 16 overs at a rate of just under four per over.
Chandimal raised his fifty immediately after the break with an authoritative shot from Jansen and de Silva reached his milestone in the next over. He swept Maharaj for two fours and reached fifty in 66 balls, a sign of the aggressiveness with which he batted. He played one more shot in anger when he hit Maharaj for six points. Maharaj had the last laugh when De Silva played the shot he will regretfully remember and South Africa broke through.
Kusal Mendis, riding four ducks in South Africa, got his first runs with a cover drive that went for four, also raising Sri Lanka’s 200. He almost ran out late in the over when he came out for a run. without consulting without consulting with Chandimal but he returned in time.
South Africa got Rabada back for a burst before lunch, but a selection of short balls was well negotiated. Rabada also took his no-ball tally in the innings to 10, five in the morning session.
