Sri lanka’s Rangana Herath picked up an early wicket to put South Africa under pressure as the visitors, chasing 369 to win the second Test, finished day four on 38-1 Sunday.
Opening the bowling, the left-arm spinner had opener Alviro Petersen caught by Kithruwan Vithanage without scoring with the total on four. Quinton de Kock batting on 21 and Dean Elgar (13) took a bad light offer and left the field needing to score 331 in three sessions to win the match on Monday or bat out the day for a draw and clinch the two-match series 1-0.
After three interruptions Sunday, the match is scheduled to start 30 minutes early Monday with minimum of 98 overs to be bowled. Sri lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara said after the day’s play that his team hoped to drive the advantage home.
“I think the chances are pretty good. I thought the wicket on the left with Rangana bowling into the rough is going to be a bit difficult (for batsmen). “If we can keep the pressure up ... and if we can get some early wickets, maybe three in the first session, it will set us up nicely,” Sangakkara said.
South Africa’s A.B. de Villiers said his team would not give up. “I feel Sri lanka has played most of the cricket in this Test match, well done for them for that. But we are definitely still in the match.
“We are definitely not going to give it up. We’ve had a great tour so far and we’d love to finish on a high tomorrow,” he said. Sri lanka earlier declared its second innings on 229-8.
Sangakkara (72) and captain Angelo Mathews (63 not out) made hasty half-centuries to increase Sri lanka’s lead and give them hope of levelling the two-match test series on a turning Sinhalese Sports Club pitch.
South Africa won the first test in Galle. Sangakkara took 90 balls and hit three boundaries while sharing 81 runs for the fourth wicket with Mathews, who faced 83 deliveries and hit two sixes and two boundaries.
Fast bowler Morne Morkel returned 4-45 for South Africa and in the process reached his 200th Test wicket. Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir picked up two wickets each.
Brief Scores
Sri lanka: 421 all out and 229-8 dec. (Kumar Sangakkara 72, Angelo Mathews 63 not out; Morne Morkel 4-45 , Dale Steyn 2-59, Imran Tahir 2-76) lead South Africa: 282 all out and 38-1 (Quinton de Kock 21 not out; Rangana Herath 1-7) by 330 runs.