Sri Lanka is 205-5 in a chase of 348 against South Africa in 2nd test

Sri Lanka`s Kusal Mendis (L) watches the ball after playing a shot as South Africa`s wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne reacts (R)during the fourth day of the second international Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka at St Georges Park in Gqeberha. Pic/AFP

South Africa had Sri Lanka on the rack at 205-5 in a chase of 348 on the fourth day of the second test at St George's Park on Sunday. Medium-pacer Dane Paterson and spinner Keshav Maharaj took two wickets each after fast bowler Kagiso Rabada started prising out Sri Lankans by pinning opener Dimuth Karunaratne while he was playing defense in the third over. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis took up Sri Lanka's counterattack from 122-5 in an unbeaten partnership of 83 runs. De Silva and Kusal Mendis, both 39 not out, ensured a fifth day of play but the odds remained in favor of South Africa winning the series 2-0. They are the last recognized batsmen, and the highest successful run chase at the ground was 271 by Australia 27 years ago. Karunaratne's innings came to a familiar end. He's scored 2, 4, 20 and 1 in the series and been dismissed by Rabada all four times.

Rabada and Paterson were coming around the wicket and causing doubt. The batters saw enough bad balls to relieve pressure but they had to be gritty. The other opener Pathum Nissanka was also removed before tea, poking at Paterson and edging behind on 18. Straight after tea, Paterson also trapped Dinesh Chandimal while defending. From 64-3, Angelo Mathews and Kamindu Mendis began a recovery. But just when they were set, they were both out to Maharaj. Mathews was bowled going for a swipe on 32, and Kamindu Mendis edged behind and was caught one-handed by Kyle Verreynne on 35. De Silva and Kusal Mendis came together, hung tough and opened up as the ball got older and the bowlers got tired. The Proteas had set an imposing target even after their second bat finished just after lunch on 317 when 400 looked on. Captain Temba Bavuma, 48 overnight, reached his fourth consecutive fifty in the first over of the morning.

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He and Tristan Stubbs soon after brought up their no-fuss 100-run partnership and were cruising, until Bavuma ran out Stubbs when he attempted an unnecessary second run. Stubbs left for 47. Bavuma and David Bedingham endured a barrage of bouncers only for both to fall to spinner Prabath Jayasuriya. Bavuma was bowled for a team-high 66 off 116 balls. Following scores of 70, 113 and 78 in the series, Bavuma was comfortably the highest run-getter in the series, with nearly 130 more than the next best, Stubbs. Two more wickets fell before the new ball was available, and Jayasuriya earned his 10th career five-wicket haul but first outside Sri Lanka. He finished with 5-129. From 191-3 overnight with a lead of 211, the Proteas were reduced to 282-8 and a lead of 312 by lunch. In a dramatic four overs after lunch, bowlers Rabada, Paterson and Maharaj plundered an extra 35 runs before the innings was all over on 317.

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