Live Cricket Score – South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Day 2, Durban

FOUR FOR STEYN: Big wicket this for South Africa and it’s the legend who is making this happen for the hosts. Length ball and Perera went for the big one. Spooned the catch towards long off and Markram makes good ground to complete the catch.

Sri Lanka 152 for 8

50 FOR PERERA: His attacking strokeplay has kept South Africa on their toes. He gets to the landmark with a whip to the midwicket boundary off Steyn. Sri Lanka trail by 83.

SEVEN DOWN: Back for the second session and South Africa get rid of Suranga Lakmal. Dale Steyn gets his third wicket in the game.

Sri Lanka 144 for 7

LUNCH – SRI LANKA 133 for 6

Having kept South Africa to 235, and then reached 49 for the loss of just a solitary wicket, Sri Lanka started the day with their noses ahead. The onus was on the top order to ensure the pressure stayed on South Africa. The slide, however, started very early. Oshada Fernando was adjudged lbw off the bowling of Dale Steyn but replays suggested the ball was missing the leg stump.

Dimuth Karunaratne was the next to fall, in the very next over, as Vernon Philander trapped the Sri Lanka captain in front. Kusal Mendis struck two boundaries to ease the nerves after an early wobble but was undone by a good delivery from Philander. The pacer got on to pitch on off and hold its line as Mendis poked at it. The outside edge was gobbled by Faf du Plessis at second slip as the visitors slipped to 76 for 4.

Kusal Perera struck a few audacious blow to pick up crucial runs and keep the scoreboard moving but lost Niroshan Dickwella soon after. The left-hander went for a tentative pull and ended up finding Dale Steyn at third man after top-edging the delivery. It was the 43-run stand between Perera and Dhanajaya de Silva that took the team past 100 and steadied things just a touch. Sri Lanka were guilty of playing some poor cricket and their position worsened even further as de Silva fell in the last over of the session – pulling a short one from Kagiso Rabada straight to deep fine leg.

Philander and picked two in the session while Rabada, Steyn and Oliver got one each to ensure the hosts went into the break the happier side.

100 UP: Some aggressive shots from Kusal Perera and Sri Lanka have now got 100 on the board.

OLIVER STRIKES: Dangerman Dickwella falls. Oliver bangs it in and the left-hander went for a tentative pull. The ball took the top edge and landed with Steyn at third man. Sri Lanka in a lot of trouble now at 90 for 5.

FOUR DOWN: Kusal Mendis falls. Philander gets his second. Length ball on off, and it holds its line, takes the outside edge before du Plessis completes the catch at second slip.

Sri Lanka 76 for 4.

REVIEW, AND MORE REVIEWS: South Africa lost a review when they went after an lbw appeal against Karunaratne. Replays showed it was going on top of the middle stumps.

Two balls later, Philander floats one full and the Sri Lanka captain misses the flick. Was given lbw and he reviewed it as well. Umpire’s call and he has to walk back. Two early blows for Sri Lanka as they slipped to 53 for 3.

FIRST BREAK ON DAY 2: Dale Steyn gets the early breakthrough South Africa were looking for. Oshada Fernando walked too far across and failed to get bat on that one. Given lbw and looks like the ball was just clipping the leg stump. Scratch that, replays show that it was missing the leg stump. Aleem Dar gets another one wrong here. And so did Karunaratne who told the debutant not to review it.

Sri Lanka 51 for 2

A couple on the first ball of the day and Sri Lanka’s 50 is up now.

Overcast conditions as the players walk out. Karunaratne and Oshada Fernando walk out to bat, Dale Steyn to start the second day with the ball …

Hello and welcome to the live blog of the second day’s play between South Africa and Sri Lanka in the first Test in Durban. The visitors clearly on top after their bowlers kept South Africa to 235 but a big day ahead of them. A good batting performance could well put them ahead and force the hosts to play catch up. South Africa have won just one of their last eight Durban Tests and the pressure is on them but they have five bowlers and a fragile Sri Lankan batting line-up ahead of them.

Sri Lanka will start on 49 for 1 after a poor stroke saw Thirimanne fall for a 15-ball duck. This should be fascinating contest folks, stay tuned as we bring you more updates.