Stephen Cook’s second century in three innings helped South Africa seize control of the first test against Sri Lanka at St George’s Park on Wednesday.
Cook‚ who made 104 against Australia in Adelaide last month‚ scored 117 to spur South Africa to 351/5 in their second innings at stumps on the third day.
South Africa’s lead of 432 is probably already beyond the Lankans’ reach.
Cook and Dean Elgar shared 116 for the first wicket‚ which followed the 104 they added in the first innings.
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That made them the only the second pair of South Africa’s openers to mount century stands in both innings of the same match in 87 years.
The first were Bruce Mitchell and Bob Catterall‚ who shared partnerships of 119 and 171 against England in Birmingham in 1929.
Sri Lanka resumed on 181/7 and were dismissed in the eighth over of the day for 205 with Vernon Philander completing his 11th five-wicket haul in tests.
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Philander had Dhananjaya de Silva caught behind with the first ball of the day‚ a sniping away-swinger‚ and claimed the wicket of Suranga Lakmal‚ who was caught at mid-on‚ to finish with 5/45.
Kyle Abbott‚ who took 3/63‚ ended the innings when Dushmantha Chameera edged him to first slip.
Cook and Elgar took South Africa’s lead to 197 before Elgar went for 52 when he top-edged Lakmal and was caught at mid-on.
Hashim Amla was dismissed with what became the last ball before tea‚ trapped in front by Pradeep for 48.
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That made Amla the 10 000th player in test history to be out lbw.
It also meant he has gone 11 test innings without scoring a century and eight without reaching 50.
Cook engineered his own demise in the seventh over after tea by fishing at Chameera with an angled bat and being caught behind.
He batted for four hours‚ faced 178 balls and hit 11 fours.
JP Duminy and Temba Bavuma fell to De Silva in the space of seven of the off-spinner’s deliveries.
Duminy’s edge to slip‚ where Angelo Mathews took a smart‚ low catch‚ was obvious.
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But Bavuma walked despite a lack of evidence that he had hit or gloved the delivery that looped into short leg’s hands.
Only 56 runs separated the dismissals of Amla‚ Cook‚ Duminy and Bavuma.
But Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock dispelled any thoughts the visitors might have had of not facing a towering target.
They put on 74 runs in a stand that will be resumed on Thursday.
Du Plessis was 41 not out with De Kock on 42.
- TMG Sport
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