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Sri Lanka vs South Africa 2nd Test Day 3 Live Cricket Score: Sri Lankan openers make cautious start at Stumps

Follow live blog of Day 3 of 2nd Test.

Hashim Amla © Getty Images
Hashim Amla © Getty Images

July 25, 2014

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(Catch live cricket score and live updates of the 2nd Test between Sri Lanka and South Africa)

AB de Villiers made a desperate one-handed effort at first slip but he could not grasp it. The bowler, Vernon Philander is aghast and Tharanga survives. Apart from that there are no further scares and Sri Lanka have a lead of 151.

Thats the end of it. Rangana Herath, aided by a plethora of close catching fielders dismiss Morne Morkel of the first ball. Kaushal Silva takes a good catch at short leg. Perera takes five and Sri Lanka have a commanding lead.
M Morkel c Silva b Perera 0(1)
Oh what has Imran Tahit done. After all the hard work that the tailender had put in, he throws his wicket away. Coming around the wicket, the ball pitched on leg stump and turned towards the off stump. Tahir was never going to get the elevation against the turn and Tharanga takes a simple catch at mid-off.
OUT! I Tahir c Tharanga b Herath 15(32)
Imran Tahir is also on aggressive mode a and has smashed a couple of boundaries. Hashim Amla is still marching along with his indefatigable concentration.
Sri Lanka get their eight scalp and its Dale Steyn. The tearaway pacer was going hammer and tongs at Herath and he steps out again but doesn’t connect. Kumar Sangakkara takes a safe catch at mid-off.
OUT! D Steyn 30(71)
Play has resumed and South Africa are living dangerously. First, Dale Steyn dozed off when Amla called for an easy single. Then, Steyn stepped down the track to Herath, missed and wicketkeeper Dickwella misses an easy stumping. The young debutant is heartbroken and is consoled by his senior teammates. Steyn then punishes the next ball for a huge six over long-off.
Its Tea time and Amla’s century has come in the way of the hosts and wiped out the follow-on. Steyn has been positive and looks confident at the crease. South Africa need to bat out the day to be safe.
Amla is holding fort while the spinners are turning it wickedly. Steyn has hit a couple of lusty blows and is looking to wipe out the deposit.

 

 

Hashim Amla completes his 22nd Test Century and his first against Sri Lanka and his first in the emerald isles. He survived a scare when he chipped Suranga Lakmal and Kaushal Silva dropped a catch which should have been pouched. Here, Amla scampers for a single after stroking it to mid-off.

 

Just when Duminy’s long, laboured stay was threatening to wear the South Africans down, Sri Lankans have the rub of the green. Duminy gets to the pitch of the ball to smack it through the covers. The ball spins away, clips his pads but Dickwella makes an excellent stumping.
OUT! JP Duminy st Dickwella b Herath 3(58)
The batsmen are carefully and cautiously working the Sri Lankan spinners. Bowling has been excellent from the home side and as it stands South Africa need further 53 to avoid the follow on. Hashim Amla holds the key and is narrowing in on his first hundred in Sri Lanka.
Its Lunch time and it captain Hash leading from the front. This partnership is pivotal for the Saffers and the batsmen will aim to bat out the entire day. Sri Lanka are at top at the moment.
The double strike has certainly humbled South Africa and the batsmen, Duminy in particular is playing on ultra-defensive mode. Sri Lanka are persisting with the spinners, who look dangerous.

 

 

Rangana Herath is fighting the ball and keeping the batsmen in check. After holding fort for a long time, Dilruwan Perera scalps a big wicket by trapping AB de Villiers in front. A slight wicked turn traps AB plumb in front and then Quinton de Kock is also beaten by a hint of turn with the ball turning slightly away and it clips the southpaw’s off stump. Sri Lanka have South Africa on the mat now!
AB de Villiers lbw b Perera 37(98), Q de Kock b Perera 0(2)
De Villiers survives a a caught behind scare. Suranga Lakmal bowls a wide delivery down the leg side and De Villiers’ glove nudges it to keeper Dickwella. Despite falling short by a couple of feet, the keeper and the players go up. The batsman is amused and the third umpire decides its not out. Apart from that, these two batsmen who average more than 50 in Tests are looking solid.
Hashim Amla reaches his 28th Half-Century in Tests and his first as captain. Its been a captain’s knock and the bearded wizard has looked his typical rock like self with a monk like demeanour. He just flicked Mendis for a boundary on the leg side and dabbed it for another four of the . AB de Villiers has also hit a boundary to start proceedings and is looking good too.

Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s coverage of the third day’s play between Sri Lanka and South Africa at the Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo. Sri Lanka are in control of this match as they put up 421 on the board. At the end of Day Two, South Africa were closing in on a hundred, but had lost three wickets. Sri lanka will be looking forward to take the wicket of Hashim Amla, who is still unbeaten in the middle. South Africa are currently leading the series 1-0 and would be looking to close in on a maiden series victory in Sri Lanka.

I am R Vishal and will take you through the game. This is an important day for both sides as a lot hinges on the proceedings. We are right in the middle of the Test match and one team can take charge here to put the other team in a spot. Sri Lanka are chasing this series and one may say that there would be more pressure on them in this game than the South Africans. But, South Africa have to build on that and go on to score big on the day.

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