South Africa vs Sri Lanka 1st Test Day 2 Highlights: South Africa Extend Lead To 281

That ends the action from a long day. It really feels long because as many as 19 wickets fell in about 80-odd overs. The game has cartwheeled around in terrific fashion and such has been the somersault, that there could be a possibility of a Day 3 finish. But for cricket's sake, let's hope we get more action. The forecast for Friday is equally good with no rain forecast. The first ball on Friday, 29th November, 2024, will be bowled at 7.30 am GMT with 15 minutes added to the first two sessions to cover up for lost time. Our buildup to Day 3 will certainly be starting well in advance. In the meanwhile, you can also catch all the action from the New Zealand-England Test. ADIOS! TAKE CARE!

Will Sanath Jayasuriya's reaction at the fag end of the day be the mood in the camp of the Lankans? Of course, you cannot be expecting them to be bouncing up and down but they cannot allow themselves to be downcast too much. The three seamers have bowled their heart out and kept on trying. They will face a stiffer challenge on Day 3, because it could be the best day to bat in this Test. Can they find another 7 ways to get South Africa all out? Realistically speaking, if they can keep the hosts under 250, they can still think about chasing down around 400 in the next 2 and a half days. We said, think. At least, to be positive. The morning session is crucial. If that goes South Africa's way, this Test will then become a mere formality.

Temba Bavuma was batting overnight on Day 1. Temba Bavuma will be again batting overnight on Day 2. Just that an entire innings has transpired between those two sentences. Time is definitely not an issue and the skipper will be looking for some more runs from his batting unit on Friday. This is just the start of the home season, so they need not hurry into thoughts of declaration and all, especially with the pitch getting better and better.

South Africa will be mightily pleased with their effort. They were visibly upset with their own batting performance in the first innings but Marco Jansen more than made their day, taking 7 out of Sri Lanka's 10 wickets, picking his career-best haul in a Test match inning. After that, normalcy seems to have resumed, with the pitch easing out, but the top order will still feel they missed out in better conditions.

Almost two different conditions in two different halves of the day. The first half saw plenty of bounce and seam movement, which saw both sides' bowlers profit. First, Sri Lanka kept South Africa to 191, although they could have kept them to a lot less at 117/7 but then, were shockingly shot out for 42 themselves, literally hitting themselves on their own foot. Since then, they have been playing catch up and even though they have picked up 3 wickets, they will understand that their backs are already against the wall with 3 days still left in the game.

So after a day which saw 19 wickets fall in around 83 overs, for 285 runs, South Africa have turned the table and ended the day, with a lead of 281. The camera pans on Sanath Jayasuriya, the coach of Sri Lanka, who has his hands on his head, perhaps in despair. South Africa are strong in their own backyard. But Sri Lanka are not the Sri Lanka which batted on Thursday afternoon.

Tossed up, on middle, Bavuma tucks it to mid on. That will be STUMPS on Day 2!

Drags the length by a bit and attacks the stumps, Temba Bavuma stands back and taps it to mid-wicket.

Full and on middle and off, Temba Bavuma leans ahead and blocks it out.

Full, on middle, Temba Bavuma turns it around to mid-wicket.

Around off, punched down to long off for a run.

Comes from over the wicket and keeps it full, at the stumps, Temba Bavuma clips it to deep mid-wicket and takes a single.

All eyes at the umpire. Their eyes are at the clock. It says, 4 minutes to go. So we play on. Time for some changing of guard, removing of shoe laces, gloves etc and putting them back on? Just to ensure that this is the last over for the day. Ahh... here we go. Fielders wandering from one end of the ground to the other. Neither captain wants another over. Bavuma will be more than happy with this time wastage.

Good length, over off, Tristan Stubbs is solid in defence!

Back of a length, on off, Tristan Stubbs hops back and pushes it out to cover.

Fuller again, on off, Tristan Stubbs offers a solid block on the front foot.

Fuller and on off, Tristan Stubbs taps it to mid off.

Who would be less interested in having another over? Sri Lanka have had a torrid day and would not want another over, unless they get a wicket. South Africa, on the other hand, would be happy to go off and put their feet up in the dressing room. We have more than 5 minutes left, so we should definitely have one more over. The thing is, if Prabath Jayasuriya bowls from the other end and the batters just keep blocking him out, then we might get one more after that!

Pulls the length back and angles it in, on a short of a length, cramping the batter up, Stubbs does well to squeeze it out to the leg side.

Outside off, on a length, Tristan Stubbs is happy to let it go past.