South Africa v Sri Lanka: Hosts take command after 19-wicket day

South Africa holds a commanding lead in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Durban, after a 19-wicket day on Thursday left the hosts with a 281-run lead and seven wickets in hand.

Day two at Kingsmead began with South Africa in trouble at 80/4, which resulted in the home side limping through to 191 all-out before lunch.

The total seemed sub-par, until Sri Lanka recorded their lowest-ever Test score of 42 runs, falling in just 13.5 overs to hand South Africa a 149-run first-innings lead.

Back into bat, South Africa drove home their advantage, piling on 132 runs for the loss of just three wickets to take control of the Test.

Cricket bookmakers — who favoured South Africa going into the Test — now have the home team as enormous favourites to go 1-0 up in the series.

Bovada has priced South Africa at just -10000 to win, with the struggling Sri Lanka at +2200 to win and a draw, paying an unlikely +20000.

Earlier in the day, it was captain Temba Bavuma (70) who shone for the Proteas, adding another 42 runs to his overnight score to anchor his side’s first innings.

Bavuma’s efforts were quickly outmatched by teammate Marco Jansen, who recorded career-best figures of 7/13 in his demolition of the Sri Lankan line up.

It was fellow pacer Kagiso Rabada who struck first, removing opener Dimuth Karunaratne (2) in the third over.

Jansen then followed suit in the next over, picking up the first of his seven with the scalp of Pathum Nissanka (3).

Dinesh Chandimal (0) and Angelo Mathews (1) would follow in his next two overs, before Dhananjaya de Silva (7), Prabath Jayasuriya (0), Vishwa Fernando (0) and Asistha Fernando (0) came in Jansen’s final two overs.

“We bowled really well in terms of our intensity and the energy of the ball,” Jansen said.

“We realised that the ball was moving nice and quick off the pitch, which is always what we want as bowlers.”

When play resumes on day three, Tristan Stubbs (17) and Bavuma (24) will be at the crease for South Africa, with Tony de Zorzi (17), Aiden Markram (47) and Wiaan Mulder back in the sheds.