Fast bowler Dale Steyn grabbed five wickets as South Africa seized control on the third day of the first Test against Sri Lanka on Friday.
Steyn, 31, unleashed some fiery bowling without much help from a dry and flat track to finish with figures of five for 50, his 23rd five-wicket haul in Tests.
At stumps, Sri Lanka were 283 for nine, still trailing by 172 runs with one wicket in hand, facing a demanding task to avoid defeat.
Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews fought back valiantly with an 89-run knock before being bowled by leg-spinner Imran Tahir. Mathews, who missed scoring his third Test ton on the trot, also shared 71 runs with Rangana Herath for the eighth wicket, the highest partnership of the innings.
His effort was especially commendable since Mahela Jayawardene (3) and Kumar Sangakkara (24) failed with the bat.
Steyn struck early in the final session, removing Lahiru Thirimanne (38) with an away-moving delivery, which the batsman edged behind to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.
He struck again soon after to dismiss Dinesh Chandimal and Dilruwan Perera off his consecutive overs to cap a fiery three-wicket burst. Chandimal (6) was caught at midwicket while Perera snicked to De Kock without scoring.
Mathews tried to hit back, smacking Morne Morkel (two for 45) for five fours in one over to race to the fifties, but that was a rare highlight on an otherwise disappointing day for the home team.
“On green-tops people expect you take a lot of wickets,” Steyn said. “But it’s really difficult to bowl on subcontinent wickets.
“I really enjoy the challenge of bowling in the subcontinent and taking five-wicket hauls where I haven’t before.”
Earlier, Tharanga, making a Test comeback after more than six years, stood out with his doughty 83-run innings that contained 14 fours and a six.
Tharanga defied the hostile fast bowling for almost three hours before he was undone by part-time spinner Jean-Paul Duminy, who had him stumped by De Kock.
“I felt good from the moment I went out to bat. I’m glad I got a good start, but at the same time disappointed that I didn’t go on to get a big one,” Tharanga said.
“I am especially disappointed with the way I got out. At that time I was batting really well.”
Steyn tasted the first success in the morning session when he got rid of opener Kaushal Silva (8).
His dismissal brought in Sangakkara, coming into the match on the back of a record seven successive 50-plus scores. The left-hander looked his normal poised self, pulling and driving Steyn for two fours in an over, which included a trademark cover drive.
Tharanga provided solid support to his more famous partner, reaching his fourth half-century with a four off Duminy.
Sudden rain close to the lunch break held up the game briefly. When the match resumed, Sangakkara paid the price for losing his concentration, inside edging Morkel on to his stumps.
Jayawardene, who has announced that he will retire next month, was trapped leg before by Steyn while trying to defend against a stinging yorker from the bowler.
The former skipper asked for a review but replays vindicated the on-field umpire’s call
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