Sri Lanka batters Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews weathered the storm in the final moments before the tea break, steering their side to 60/2 at tea on day 4 of the second Test against the Proteas in Gqeberha on Sunday.
Chandimal (29) and Mathews (6) remained unbeaten and still 288 runs behind in their pursuit of the 348-run winning target set by South Africa at St George's Park.
Sri Lanka returned from the interval and took the last two wickets within the hour to dismiss South Africa for 317 all out with a lead of 347.
Kagiso Rabada, who hit two boundaries and then got struck on the head, perished off a delivery by Lahiru Kumara that caught the shoulder of his bat on the way to Kusal Mendis behind the stumps.
Keshav Maharaj and Dane Paterson added a brisk 27 from 20, but Paterson (14) would fall to an Asitha Fernando slower ball that rearranged his stumps to leave Maharaj stranded on 14 not out.
When the Proteas returned to begin the defence of their total, they would have had designs on picking up a few early wickets and they would have been forgiven for thinking they had exactly that when Pathum Nissanka was given out lbw by umpire Joel Wilson.
However, the decision was reviewed and changed to not out after it revealed the ball had pitched marginally outside the leg stump.
Rabada would answer the call for a wicket when ousted Dimuth Karunaratne for a single.
Nissanka (18) and Dinesh Chandimal combined to add 37 before the latter was dismissed by Paterson, caught behind by Kyle Verreynne, with Sri Lanka on 47/2, then still 301 runs in arrears.
Second Test evenly poised as Sri Lanka chase famous win against Proteas
Image: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
Sri Lanka batters Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews weathered the storm in the final moments before the tea break, steering their side to 60/2 at tea on day 4 of the second Test against the Proteas in Gqeberha on Sunday.
Chandimal (29) and Mathews (6) remained unbeaten and still 288 runs behind in their pursuit of the 348-run winning target set by South Africa at St George's Park.
Sri Lanka returned from the interval and took the last two wickets within the hour to dismiss South Africa for 317 all out with a lead of 347.
Kagiso Rabada, who hit two boundaries and then got struck on the head, perished off a delivery by Lahiru Kumara that caught the shoulder of his bat on the way to Kusal Mendis behind the stumps.
Keshav Maharaj and Dane Paterson added a brisk 27 from 20, but Paterson (14) would fall to an Asitha Fernando slower ball that rearranged his stumps to leave Maharaj stranded on 14 not out.
When the Proteas returned to begin the defence of their total, they would have had designs on picking up a few early wickets and they would have been forgiven for thinking they had exactly that when Pathum Nissanka was given out lbw by umpire Joel Wilson.
However, the decision was reviewed and changed to not out after it revealed the ball had pitched marginally outside the leg stump.
Rabada would answer the call for a wicket when ousted Dimuth Karunaratne for a single.
Nissanka (18) and Dinesh Chandimal combined to add 37 before the latter was dismissed by Paterson, caught behind by Kyle Verreynne, with Sri Lanka on 47/2, then still 301 runs in arrears.
READ MORE:
Victory up for grabs for Proteas and Sri Lanka in Gqeberha
Jayasuriya strikes to pin SA back early on day 4
Stubbs, Bavuma extend SA lead after early loss of wickets
Paterson's 5-wicket haul puts SA firmly in driving seat
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