Sri Lanka, set the huge task of scoring 516 for victory, were teetering on the brink as they reached 103 for five in their second innings at the close of the third day of the first test against South Africa at Kingsmead in Durban on Friday.
That meant the tourists, with only five wickets in hand, still face a world record task of scoring a further 413 for the unlikeliest of victories over the remaining two days after the Proteas had compiled 366 for five declared in their second innings.
Stumps on Day Three ๐
โ SuperSport ๐ (@SuperSportTV) November 29, 2024
The @ProteasMenCSA go into Day Four needing 5 wickets for the win ๐ฟ๐ฆ๐๐ฑ๐ฐ#SAvSL | #SummerOfCricket pic.twitter.com/avOUS0OsOV
This was thanks largely to hundreds from Temba Bavuma (his third) and Tristan Stubbs (his second).
The pair were involved in a fourth-wicket partnership of 249, a South African record against Sri Lanka.
Bavuma, after his first innings 70, has so far played a major role in his teamโs ascendency.
Beginning their monumental task after tea, the Sri Lankans suffered their first loss in Kagiso Rabadaโs third over when Dimuth Karunaratne drove loosely at a short of a length delivery outside his off-stump, the extra bounce causing him to edge a catch to Stubbs at third slip.
It was the kind of stroke that was the undoing of a number of the touristsโ batters in the first innings.
Meanwhile, Pathum Nissanka had decided that aggression was the way to go and he slammed four boundaries in his 23 before he hooked once too often at Rabada, gloving the ball to Kyle Verreynne who flung himself to his left to take a brilliant catch.
Unfortunately for the South Africans, Rabada had overstepped for the third time, albeit by the barest of margins, and the dismissal was chalked off.
Nissanka, who had already been dropped hooking at Marco Jansen, failed to make the best of his fortune, for in the very next over by Gerald Coetzee, he was trapped leg before, a decision that stood the test of a review.
Coetzee was all over the shop, going for 37 runs in his four overs, and he was replaced in the 16th over by left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj for his first bowl in the match.
While Maharaj was accurate, it was first-innings hero Jansen who struck next, trapping Angelo Mathews leg before for 25 after he and Dinesh Chandimal had added 44 for the third wicket โ two more runs than the entire team had acquired in their first innings.
Just before the close, Jansen struck again, finding the edge of Kamindu Mendisโs bat as he flailed at one outside the off-stump.
Mendis reviewed the decision but footage showed a thin edge.
And there was one last twist of pain for the tourists when nightwatchman Jayasuriya stared in disbelief at Tony de Zorzi at short leg after he clipped a delivery from Rabada off his legs.
But instead of the ball disappearing to the boundary, it lay in the hands of De Zorzi who had almost miraculously snatched the flying ball out of the air.
"TONY DE ZORZI STOP THAT!" ๐ฃ๏ธ๐ฅ#SAvSL | #SummerOfCricket pic.twitter.com/lf3Hldx9UH
โ SuperSport ๐ (@SuperSportTV) November 29, 2024
Chandimal, who had batted for more than two hours, was undefeated on 29 at the close with his captain Dhananjaya de Silva yet to get off the mark.
Jansen, surfing on his first-innings exploits of 7-13, has so far taken 2-22 while Rabada has 2-34.
BAMUMA AND STUBBS LEAD THE WAY
Earlier, resuming on South Africaโs overnight score of 132 for three, Bavuma and Stubbs batted through the morning and well into the afternoon against the frustrated Sri Lankans as they built their partnership of 249 in 433 balls.
For the most part, the pair batted solidly and without undue distress throughout the morning although Stubbs was dropped twice, first by Angelo Mathews at slip off paceman Vishwa Fernando and then (a technical chance only) by wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis close to lunch when he attempted a reverse-sweep off Prabath Jayasuriya.
Stubbs has enjoyed a wonderful two months for his country, striking his debut test century against Bangladesh and his first ODI ton against Ireland as well as doubling up in terms of test hundreds today.
Tristan Stubbs ๐
โ SuperSport ๐ (@SuperSportTV) November 29, 2024
He is the first @ProteasMenCSA batter in six years to score a Test century in Durban ๐ฟ๐ฆ๐ฏ
๐บ Stream #SAvSL on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw pic.twitter.com/GrmDJlUkX0
Altogether he struck nine fours and two sixes in his 221-ball innings that spanned five and a half hours.
He was finally bowled by paceman Asitha Fernando who also accounted for Bavuma โ leg before โ on the cusp of tea, a decision that prompted the declaration.
The South African captain batted seven minutes longer than Stubbs, striking nine fours in his 228-ball innings.
There were moments of anxiety for Bavuma in the nervous 90s and particularly when he went to his hundred.
The Sri Lankans appealed for leg before as he attempted to sweep Prabath Jayasuriya and the not out verdict was reviewed.
TV footage showed, however, that he had gloved the ball and the skipperโs hundred was assured.
โ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ข ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ! ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ข ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ!โ ๐
โ SuperSport ๐ (@SuperSportTV) November 29, 2024
โ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ๐ข ๐ข๐๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐! ๐๐๐ง๐คโ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ!โ ๐ญ
Temba Bavuma had all of us on the edge of our seats for his third hundred ๐ญ๐ฏ
๐บ Stream #SAvSL on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw #SummerOfCricket pic.twitter.com/JCa9lUevL2
David Bedingham โ who struck his first ball for four and added an on-driven six off Jayasuriya โ was undefeated on 21 in 11 balls, a burst of aggression that vividly suggested a declaration was imminent.
Speaking afterwards Bavuma said: โGetting to the three-figure mark was a little nerve-wracking. Iโm not that good in the 80s and 90s. The shot (sweep) was a bit high risk but Iโm glad I got there.
โPersonally, getting a hundred means a lot more. Hundreds are high currency for batters. Thereโs a lot of confidence that comes from scoring a hundred. From the teamโs point of view weโre reaching the stage where we believe that someone can always score a hundred in an innings. From my point of view, mentally Iโm beginning to think that Iโm finding a formula, not just for scoring 50s and 60s but getting a big one to put the team in a strong position.โ
It was all about sticking to the gameplan for Temba Bavuma ๐ฃ๏ธ๐ง #SAvSL | #SummerOfCricket pic.twitter.com/wH2ZeloEqR
โ SuperSport ๐ (@SuperSportTV) November 29, 2024
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (capt.), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada
SRI LANKA: Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Kusal Mendis (wk), Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando