GQEBERHA: Pathum Nissanka made 89 to lead a strong Sri Lankan batting effort on the second day of the second Test against South Africa at St George’s Park on Friday.

Sri Lanka were 242-3 at the close in reply to South Africa’s first innings of 358.

Opening batsman Nissa­nka seemed set for his third Test century before he charged down the wicket against left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, missed an attempted big hit and was bowled.

Until then, Nissanka’s only blemish was a missed chance to David Beding­ham at first slip off Kagiso Rabada when the batsman had 22. Nissanka faced 157 balls and hit 11 fours and a six.

“Pathum was so good to watch but he will blame himself for the manner he got out,” said Sri Lankan batting coach Thilina Kandamby.

“The bowlers were tired, the wicket was flat and he missed out. Even I could not believe it, but clearly there was a lapse of concentration.

Nissanka shared stands of 41 with Dimuth Karun­aratne (20), 109 with Din­esh Chandimal (44) and 49 with Angelo Mathews, who finished the day on 40 not out.

Kamindu Mendis joined Mathews after Nissanka was dismissed and batted brightly to make 30 not out in an unbeaten partnership of 43.

South Africa earlier added 89 for the loss of their last three wickets after resu­ming on 269-7. Kyle Verr­eynne needed just 49 balls to go from his overnight 48 not out to 105 not out.

Verreynne and Rabada (23) put on 56 for the ninth wicket and last man Dane Paterson (nine) helped Verreynne add 33 before he was last man out, caught off an attempted slog against Lahiru Kumara.

SCOREBOARD

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings, overnight 269-7):

A. Markram b Kumara 20

T. de Zorzi lbw A. Fernando 0

R. Rickelton c Nissanka b Kumara 101

T. Stubbs c K. Mendis b Kumara 4

T. Bavuma c K. Mendis b A. Fernando 78

D. Bedingham b Jayasuriya 6

K. Verreynne not out 105

M. Jansen b V. Fernando 4

K. Maharaj c K’ratne b V. Fernando 0

K. Rabada b A. Fernando 23

D. Paterson c K.D. Mendis b Kumara 9

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-1, NB-2, W-4) 8

TOTAL (all out, 103.4 overs) 358

FALL OF WICKETS : 1-0 (de Zorzi), 2-32 (Markram), 3-44 (Stubbs), 4-177 (Bavuma), 5-186 (Bedingham), 6-263 (Rickelton), 7-269 (Jansen), 8-269 (Maharaj), 9-325 (Rabada)

BOWLING: V. Fernando 22-6-65-2, A. Fernando 24-2-102-3 (3w), Kumara 17.4-3-79-4 (1w, 2nb), Jayasuriya 31-4-84-1, de Silva 9-1-26-0

SRI LANKA (1st Innings):

P. Nissanka b Maharaj 89

D. K’ratne c Verreynne b Rabada 20

D. Chandimal c Verreynne b Paterson 44

A. Mathews not out 40

K.D. Mendis not out 30

EXTRAS (B-12, LB-3, NB-4) 19

TOTAL (for three wkts, 67 overs) 242

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-41 (Karunaratne), 2-150 (Chandimal), 3-199 (Nissanka)

STILL TO BAT: D. de Silva, K. Mendis, P. Jayasuriya, A. Fernando, V. Fernando, L. Kumara

BOWLING: Rabada 15-5-40-1, Jansen 18-2-75-0, Paterson 15-3-51-1 (4nb), Maharaj 15-1-46-1, Markram 4-0-15-0

Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2024