02/01Result
2nd Test, Sri Lanka tour of South Africa at Cape Town, Jan 2-5 2017
South Africa won by 282 runs
Player of the Match
Kagiso Rabada
Kagiso RabadaSouth Africa
02/01Result
2nd Test, Sri Lanka tour of South Africa at Cape Town, Jan 2-5 2017
South Africa won by 282 runs
Player of the Match
Kagiso Rabada
Kagiso RabadaSouth Africa

2.30pm: So, 500 was the psychological marker as if they needed one. Sri Lanka's first target is probably just to take this into day four - there are still around 47 overs left to bowl, by my calculations, and that is a wee bit longer than their first innings lasted yesterday. Lakmal didn't get his five-for but he does walk off the field as the leading wicket-taker in the series... At least until Big Vern gets his swingers out. We'll be painting that picture for you shortly.

51.5
4
Lakmal to Philander, FOUR, attempted yorker becomes a full bunger, clipped firmly through deep midwicket and away for four more - and that's it, Faf waves them in: South Africa have declared, Philander marches off with his dander up, ready to take the new ball
51.4
4
Lakmal to Philander, FOUR, pitched up and smashed down the ground, just clearing mid-on! Philander skipped out to meet it, narrowing the angle, rifling a shot over the leaping fielder and taking SA's lead above 500
51.3
0
Lakmal to Philander, no run, beats him in the channel... and Lakmal has his arms in the air, repeating "How was that?" somewhat tiredly. Rod Tucker shakes his head but Angelo Mathews, perhaps out of sympathy for his attack-leading workhorse, decides to review. Philander appears to be shaking his head, confident he didn't edge it - and Ultra Edge backs him up, not a murmur on the graph. On we go
51.2
1
Lakmal to Maharaj, 1 run, fullish in the channel, Maharaj steps out and opens the face to steer through point

"Sri-Lanka can reach 500 easily," squawks Johan, defiantly. "Three centuries and four fifties with three wickets remaining."

51.1
1
Lakmal to Philander, 1 run, length ball on the stumps, Philander squeezes out a single through backward square leg

END OF OVER:
51 | 9 Runs | SA: 214/7

  • Keshav Maharaj19 (18b)
  • Vernon Philander6 (14b)
  • Nuwan Pradeep11-0-46-0
  • Suranga Lakmal19-2-59-4
50.6
0
Pradeep to Maharaj, no run, full and straight, swings and misses - how has that missed? No bat on it, either, as Chandimal scoops up the catch. Must have faded past leg stump
50.5
6
Pradeep to Maharaj, SIX, short ball, goes for the hook... and he lands it in the stands! Slightly top-edgy but Maharaj gave it some welly and the ball sailed all the way
50.4
0
Pradeep to Maharaj, no run, another bumper, veering down the leg side as Maharaj again fails to make contact with it
50.3
0
Pradeep to Maharaj, no run, dug in short, ungainly swing and a miss from Maharaj
50.3
3nb
Pradeep to Maharaj, 3 no balls, full toss from Kumara, fired down the leg side, beats Chandimal and they pick up byes - actually a no-ball, as he had oversetpped
50.2
0
Pradeep to Maharaj, no run, length ball, wide and swinging away a touch, Maharaj throws the bat and misses
50.1
0
Pradeep to Maharaj, no run, Kumara charges in and hits a splice-jarring length, blocked into the leg side

Hello again. Bit flat out at Newlands, as we await SA either declaring or being bowled out... But Anand is still pumped: "THREE DAY FINISH IS STILL POSSIBLE IF VERN HAD ENOUGH REST :)"

Myself, I'm just excited about the possibility of Suranga Lakmal getting consecutive Test five-fors, having had none in his previous 32 appearances

END OF OVER:
50 | 2 Runs | SA: 205/7

  • Vernon Philander6 (14b)
  • Keshav Maharaj13 (11b)
  • Suranga Lakmal19-2-59-4
  • Lahiru Kumara12-0-62-1

And that's drinks. South Africa batting on. I'll hand over to Alan

49.6
0
Lakmal to Philander, no run, full outside off, left alone

Match Coverage

All Match News

Wickets Galore

1

Number of bowlers to take 10 wickets in a match for South Africa against SL before Kagiso Rabada. Philander took 10 for 102 in Durban in 2011.

Hometown Hero

4

Number of five wicket hauls for Kagiso Rabada at home. In 12 innings he has gone wicketless only once. He now has 40 wickets at home.

tough ask

410

Highest score made by SL ever in the 4th innings of a Test. They need to score 507 to win this match.

Can Lakmal do it?

1986

The last instance when 2 fast bowlers from SL took a five wicket haul in a Test- AK Kuruppuarachchi and Ravi Ratnayeke took 5 each against Pak in Colombo.

Consistent openers

3

Consecutive tests at home in which the SA openers have scored two 50+ scores - Elgar (129 & 55), Cook(59 & 117) and De Kock ( 82 & 50)

Batsmen Falter

79

Partnership runs added for the 2nd to the 10th wickets in Sri Lanka's first innings - Their worst vs SA in Tests.

Fifty and counting!!

13

Number of Tests taken for Kagiso Rabada to reach 50 wickets. He is the tenth fastest from South Africa to reach this mark

Pacers for SL in SA

4

Number of fast bowlers from SL to get a 5 wicket haul in SA. Lahiru Kumara joins Welegedara, Fernando and Lakmal to this feat.

Superb Start

23

Number of innings taken for De Kock to score 1000 Test runs. - Joint fifth quickest for SA behind G Smith,De Villiers,Barlow,G Pollock and Faf Du Plessis

Can he continue his form?

63.18

De Kock's average in 2016- Highest for any player from SA. He had 7 fifty plus scores and scored at a strike rate of 78.61