Elgar stars with 13th century before Proteas rocked by Lankan quicks

The record second-wicket partnership of Dean Elgar and Rassie van der Dussen was ended 67 minutes into the second day, precipitating the collapse of the South African team to 256 for five at lunch on the second day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at the Wanderers on Monday.

While the loss of four wickets for 23 runs in the second hour of the day was alarming, the Proteas are obviously still in a powerful position, leading Sri Lanka by 99 runs already with five wickets in hand.

South Africa resumed on 148 for one, just nine runs behind Sri Lanka’s measly first innings of 157, with both Elgar, on 92, and Van der Dussen, on 40, approaching milestones.

Elgar reached the landmark of three figures first, notching the second-fastest of his 13 Test centuries as he got there in 133 balls, with 18 fours. Van der Dussen went to his half-century off 98 deliveries and the pair passed South Africa’s record second-wicket partnership against Sri Lanka (125 between Elgar & Faf du Plessis in Galle in 2014) and then also broke the Wanderers record of 182 set by Andrew Strauss and Rob Key for England back in 2004/5.

Elgar scored the couple of runs that took the partnership to 184, but he was dismissed by the next delivery, Dushmantha Chameera bowling a fine delivery that just nipped away a touch to find the edge of the left-hander’s bat. Elgar was caught at first slip for 127, ending four hours of quality batsmanship in which he showed a tremendous ability to bat fluently, absorb pressure and then lift the scoring rate again.

The wicket of Van der Dussen followed in the next over, Sri Lanka needing good use of the review system to confirm the 31-year-old had gloved a paddle-pull down the leg side off Dasun Shanaka, wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella scrambling to take the catch.

A tumultuous 40 minutes continued with Faf du Plessis (8) being done in and caught behind by Shanaka’s gentle but clever seamers and Quinton de Kock (10) being superbly caught at third slip by a diving Kusal Mendis as left-armer Vishwa Fernando gained some lovely shape away from the left-hander.

South Africa were 241 for five, but Temba Bavuma and Wiaan Mulder brought some calm as they made it through to lunch, both being on 7* at the break.

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