Gqeberha, South Africa: (ePRESS) –Sri Lanka’s batsmen fought back strongly on the second day of the second Test against South Africa, with Pathum Nissanka and Angelo Mathews anchoring the innings after a powerful start by the hosts in the morning session in Gqeberha on Friday.
Kyle Verreynne’s blazing century, his third in Test cricket, propelled South Africa to a dominant 358 in their first innings. The wicketkeeper-batsman’s 105 not out, combined with solid contributions from Rickelton (101) and Bavuma (78), helped the Proteas post a formidable total. However, Sri Lanka’s top order responded with resilience in the afternoon and evening sessions.
Nissanka, in particular, impressed with a patient knock of 89 runs off 157 balls, offering Sri Lanka a solid foundation. His 109-run second-wicket partnership with Dinesh Chandimal (45) was the highlight of the day’s play. The two were careful in the early stages but steadily picked up the pace as the innings progressed, giving the Sri Lankans hope of mounting a fightback.
By stumps, Sri Lanka were 242 for 3, trailing by 116 runs with seven wickets in hand. Mathews was not out on 40, and Kamindu Mendis was unbeaten on 30, leaving the visitors in a good position to capitalize on the momentum gained.
Sri Lanka’s top four showed their best collective performance of the series so far, creating pressure on South Africa’s bowlers. Kagiso Rabada, the standout bowler for the hosts, removed Dimuth Karunaratne early, continuing his strong run in the series. Rabada’s efforts were also highlighted by a dropped catch by David Bedingham, who failed to hold on to Nissanka’s edge when he was on 22.
South Africa’s other bowlers struggled. Marco Jansen, who had a record-breaking performance in the first Test, went wicketless, conceding 75 runs off 18 overs. The Sri Lankan batsmen negotiated Jansen’s threat with more confidence compared to their earlier encounter, with Nissanka particularly aggressive against his short deliveries.
Nissanka’s innings was a blend of caution and calculated aggression, particularly against the shorter balls. He favored the pull shot, especially off Jansen, and found most of his runs square of the wicket. He was unfortunate to get out just short of a century, caught by leg stump after playing a cross-batted shot against the spin of Keshav Maharaj.
Chandimal, although more aggressive in his strokeplay, struggled early, benefiting from edged boundaries. He looked solid in his stand with Nissanka until he fell to Dane Paterson for 45, caught behind the stumps.
Mathews, typically more composed, was cautious at the start but later found boundaries down the ground. His steadying presence helped Sri Lanka gain some control, and he remained at the crease, unbeaten on 40, at stumps. Kamindu Mendis, with an assured start, also contributed to the partnership, and the two added 43 runs together before the close of play.
Chief scores:
Sri Lanka 242 for 3 (Pathum Nissanka 89, Angelo Mathews 40) trail South Africa 358 (Kyle Verreynne 105, Ryan Rickelton 101, Temba Bavuma 78, Lahiru Kumara 4-79) by 116 runs.
