Port Elizabeth - Sri Lanka's top order batting wilted against South Africa's fast
bowling attack on the second day of the first Test at St George's Park
on Tuesday.
LIVE: SA V SRI LANKA, DAY 2
Sri Lanka were 104 for five at tea in reply to South Africa's first innings total of 286.
The
day started well for Sri Lanka when fast bowler Suranga Lakmal took his
first five-wicket haul in Test cricket, finishing with five for 63, as
South Africa lost their last four wickets for 19 runs.
Any sense
of achievement the Sri Lankans might have felt was quickly swept away as
South African opening bowlers Vernon Philander and Kyle Abbott ripped
into their batting.
Both gained appreciable movement through the air and off the pitch.
The
first three wickets fell for 22 runs before captain Angelo Mathews
joined a patient Kaushal Silva to add 39 runs for the fourth wicket.
Silva
was the only one of the top four in the Sri Lankan batting order to
show a solid defensive technique in seam-friendly conditions.
But
he made only 16 off 108 balls before he was leg before wicket to
Philander, who produced a ball that cut back after a succession of
deliveries that left the batsman.
Mathews, who needed treatment
after a rising delivery from Philander struck his right forearm early in
his innings, made 39 off 69 deliveries before pushing at a ball from
Kagiso Rabada to be caught at third slip.
South Africa added only
19 runs in 8.5 overs on Tuesday as they were bowled out for the lowest
first innings Test total at St George's Park in nine years.
Lakmal, 29, finished with five for 63. His best in 31 previous Tests was four for 78 against Pakistan in Dubai in January 2014.
Philander
was caught at deep square leg when he top-edged a pull against Nuwan
Pradeep in the fifth over of the morning after South Africa had resumed
at 267 for six.
Keshav Maharaj edged an away swinger to
wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal to give Lakmal his fifth wicket and Abbott
was run out after a mix-up with Quinton de Kock.
De Kock was last man out for 37, trying to keep the strike and playing across the line of a yorker from Pradeep.
Sri Lanka were soon in deep trouble in their reply.
Dimuth
Karunaratne edged an attempted drive against Abbott into his stumps,
Kusal Perera edged a wild slash against Philander to wicketkeeper De
Kock and Kusal Mendis was caught behind off an Abbott away swinger.