South Africa fight back after losing early wickets to Sri Lanka

GQEBERHA, South Africa: Captain Temba Bavuma and batting partner Ryan Rickleton led a fight back for South Africa as the home side reached 179-4 at tea on the opening day of the second test against Sri Lanka on Thursday.

Sri Lanka took three wickets in the opening session after the home side had won the toss and decided to bat but Bavuma and Rickleton put on 133 for the fourth wicket before the skipper was dismissed in the penultimate over before tea.

Bavuma was tempted into taking on a series of short balls, eventually gloving a swing to Asitha Fernando’s rising delivery and giving away his wicket when looking well set to go on and reach three figures. Bavuma has now made 23 test fifties but only gone onto a test century three times.

Rickleton, drafted into the side after injury to all-rounder Wiaan Mulder in last week’s first test, brought up his maiden test 50 in 121 balls and was 72 not out, along with David Bedingham on one.

Earlier, Lahiru Kumara took his 100th test wicket as he bowled opener Aiden Markram for 20 and followed that up with the dismissal of home favourite Tristan Stubbs, who was caught behind for four runs.

Kumara’s pair of wickets, at the cost of 38 runs, came after Tony de Zorzi had been dismissed first ball, trapped leg before wicket by Asitha Fernando in the second over of the day. De Zorzi attempted a review of the decision against him but failed while Markram’s run of mediocre test scores continued as he went for a booming drive to a ball that came back in at the right-hander and played onto his wicket. Markram has averaged 25 runs over his last 10 test innings.

Stubbs, who scored a century in the first test last week and would have been looking for more runs on his home field, pushed at a rising delivery with wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis taking a sharp diving catch. Both countries are looking for victory to stay on track for a place in next year’s World Test Championship final. South Africa won last week’s first test in Durban by 233 runs.