South Africa boost hopes of winning 1st Test after Stubbs and Bavuma hit tons

South Africa were five Sri Lanka wickets away from victory in the first cricket Test after centuries by Tristan Stubbs and captain Temba Bavuma at Kingsmead on Friday.

Set a massive target of 516 runs to win, Sri Lanka were a dismal 103-5 and running out of recognised batters in the fading light at stumps on day three.

South Africa pressed home their advantage after starting the day with a 281-run lead.

Fourth-wicket partners Stubbs and Bavuma almost went run for run, reaching their fifties within two overs of each other, and their centuries within four.

They were out within four overs, too. Stubbs went first, for 122, followed by Bavuma for 113 on the stroke of tea, at which point the Proteas declared their second innings at 366-5.

Pace bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen then took two wickets each from the top order, leaving Sri Lanka virtually doomed to defeat sometime on Saturday, and the end of their unusual unbeaten run in Durban.

Stubbs began the day on 17, and Bavuma on 24. There was enough movement and bounce to worry them but they were in no hurry.

Stubbs was dropped on 33 by Angelo Mathews at first slip and bowler Vishwa Fernando was distraught. The batter was dropped again on 55 by Kusal Mendis behind the stumps, but that was a half-chance. That was all both batters conceded to Sri Lanka as they ground down the bowlers.

They scored a sedate 101 runs in an extended session to lunch, then picked up the pace afterwards, even after the new ball was taken.

Stubbs, with two runs into square leg, reached his second test century in his sixth test off 183 balls. He leaped and pumped his fist.

Bavuma followed with his third Test century, off 202 balls, and a wave of his bat.

His precious 70 easily led the Proteas in the first innings, and he’s the first South Africa captain to score at least 70 in both innings of a home test since 1939, by Alan Melville against England on the same field.

Their 249-run stand in 72 overs ended when Stubbs moved to the left but missed Vishwa Fernando’s delivery and lost his leg stump. Stubbs hit nine boundaries and two sixes over long-on and long-off among the 221 balls he faced.

Bavuma was lbw to an Asitha Fernando nip-backer after 228 balls, also including nine boundaries.

South Africa started a bowler short without allrounder Wiaan Mulder, who broke his finger on Thursday and will miss the rest of the two-test series.

But he wasn’t missed again as Rabada and Jansen worked over the Sri Lankans.

Dimuth Karunaratne tried to drive Rabada but edged to the slips in the fifth over.

Fellow opener Pathum Nissanka had luck — he was dropped on 4 and given a no-ball reprieve — but Gerald Coetzee trapped him on the front pad on 23. Spinner Keshav Maharaj was introduced to slow down Dinesh Chandimal and Mathews, and Mathews fell lbw after Jansen went around the wicket.

Kamindu Mendis unnecessarily poked at Jansen and edged behind on 10, and failed to score a fifty for the first time in his nine tests.

Prabath Jayasuriya was sent in as the nightwatchman but he fell to a stunning, two-handed catch by Tony de Zorzi.

That forced captain Dhananjaya de Silva to come out for the last seven balls of the day. Chandimal was 29 not out.

Agencies

Brief scores:

South Africa 191 and 366-5 declared (A. Markram 47, T. Stubbs 122, T. Bavuma 113; V. Fernando 2-64, P. Jayasuriya 2-132).

Sri Lanka 42 and 103-5 (K. Rabada 2-34, M. Jansen 2-22).