Kusal Mendis, Oshada Fernando remained unbeaten on 84 and 75 respectively as Sri Lanka defeated South Africa by eight wickets in the second Test and clinched historic maiden Test series victory in the Rainbow Nation.
Kusal Mendis, Oshada Fernando remained unbeaten on 84 and 75 respectively as Sri Lanka defeated South Africa by eight wickets in the second Test and clinched historic maiden Test series victory in the Rainbow Nation.
Prior to the series, Sri Lanka had not won a game in any format since October but become the first team from Asia to win a Test series in South Africa.
Chasing 197 in the final innings, Mendis and Fernando stood like a rock after the early dismissal of the Sri Lankan openers.
Eighteen wickets fell on the second day, the most at this ground since 1914, as first Sri Lanka capitulated to 154 in their first innings and then skittled their hosts for 128 in South Africa's second visit to the crease.
Oshada Fernando (17 not out) and Kusal Mendis (10 not out) will push for victory on the third morning, but with 31 wickets having fallen in six sessions, South Africa will still feel in the game.
The struggles of the batsmen on both sides would suggest a difficult wicket, but while there is some seam movement and bounce, it is not the minefield those numbers suggest.
Sri Lanka started their second innings an hour before the close and took the score to 32 before Lahiru Thirimanne (10) nicked fast bowler Kagiso Rabada to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.
Two runs later Duanne Olivier found the edge of Dimuth Karunaratne's bat when he had 19.
The home side were not able to prise out any more wickets before the close as they seek to win the test and avoid a first ever home series loss to a side from Asia.
The tourists won an epic first test by one wicket in Durban, a result that ensured South Africa's streak of seven home series wins will come to an end.
(With agency inputs)
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 "South Africa vs Sri Lanka 2019")
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