South Africa v Sri Lanka Test: Day five promises tight finish

The second Test between South Africa and Sri Lanka is going down to the wire, with the visitors needing 143 runs and the hosts requiring five wickets when the final day begins on Monday in Gqeberha.

South Africa began the day favourites to win the Test across most cricket betting sites, having taken a 30-run lead from the first innings and moved through to 191/3 by the end of day three.

While Bovada is still paying -400 for the home side to prevail, Sri Lanka did an excellent job of staying in the fight on Sunday.

They managed to take the final seven South African wickets for just 126 more runs on day four, giving themselves a target of 347 to win.

Prabath Jayasuriya was instrumental for the visitors, removing Temba Bavuma (66) after Tristan Stubbs (47) was run-out early on.

The left-arm spinner then went on to bag the scalps of David Bedingham (35) and Marco Jansen (8) as well to finish with 5/129 — his 10th five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

“An overseas five-for is something that I had targeted for a long time,” Jayasuriya said after stumps on the fourth day.

“Getting wickets away from home was something I had worried about at times, because people questioned my ability to do that.

“When we play outside home, and in SENA [South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia] countries, my role is quite different.

“I always try to do what I can do for the team.

“I’m very happy I was able to get this five-wicket haul in a place like South Africa.”

With almost two full sessions to bat on Sunday, Sri Lanka knocked off more than half their target for the loss of five wickets.

Dimunth Karunratne (1) was the only batsman dismissed cheaply, with Pathum Nissanka (18), Dinesh Chandimal (29), Angelo Mathews (32) and Kamindu Mendis (35) all making solid starts.

However, if Sri Lanka are to chase down the remaining 143 runs on Monday, they will need one of Dhananjaya Silva (39*) or Kusal Mendis (39*) to go on and make a significant score.

With cricket bookmakers paying +300 for Sri Lanka to win, South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj has called for his side to return to “old-fashioned Test cricket” on day five.

“Hopefully tomorrow we’ll go back to old-fashioned Test cricket like we did in that period where we got those seven wickets in the morning,” Maharaj said, referring to South Africa’s bowling in the first innings.

“Traditionally, the wickets do happen in clusters.

“There can be a period where the game goes nowhere and then all of a sudden, it takes one wicket to basically be the catalyst.

“It’s about staying patient and hopefully reaping the rewards of some hard graft tomorrow morning.”

The result of this match will have a significant bearing on the race to qualify for the World Test Championship final next June.

South Africa sit in second place with a win percentage of 59.26%, while Sri Lanka are fourth on 50%.

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