After scoring over 400 runs in their first innings of the opening Test match against Sri Lanka, South Africa’s bowlers applied the pressure as the hosts went to lunch at 104-3 on day three.
Sri Lanka opener Upul Tharanga completed an unbeaten half-century on Friday as the hosts went to lunch on the third day of the first test in Galle, in reply to South Africa’s first innings score of 455-9 declared.
The latest score reveals that Sri Lanka are now 174-4 with Proteas paceman Dale Steyn having picked up two wickets.
Resuming play on Friday morning at 30-0, Sri Lanka can thank Tharanga for his 65 not out but Steyn and Morne Morkel shared three wickets to keep the pressure on the home side.
Tharanga, who is playing his first test for six years, struck 12 fours so far in his fourth test fifty. He added 59 runs for the second wicket with Kumar Sangakkara, who was out for 24 just when he had started to look steady.
Tharanga was out after lunch for 83, stumped by Quinton de Kock off the bowling of spinner JP Duminy.
South Africa got the early wicket of Kaushal Silva in the morning session when he tried to hook a bouncer from Steyn but could not control the shot and Vernon Philander took the catch at the long-leg boundary.
The home team’s experienced batsmen Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene then fell in quick succession. Sangakkara was out when he tried to pull Morkel but played the ball on to his stumps.
Jayawardene, who has announced he will retire next month after playing the second test of this series, was trapped lbw by Steyn after he had scored just three runs.
