352 to win: Dale Steyn took the final Sri Lanka wicket as the Proteas bowled their hosts out for 190 before lunch on day three.
It was a slow start from Sri Lanka on day three… and the Proteas capitalised on it. Keshav Maharaj’s three wickets in the final session on day two set the Proteas seamers up to dig into Sri Lanka first thing in the morning.
Sri Lanka lost three wickets in the first seven overs, with Kagiso Rabada literally having a hand in all three wickets. The 23-year-old first got his fingers to a straight drive from Angelo Mathews that deflected onto the stumps, catching Roshen Silva out of his crease. The paceman followed this up with two wickets in the 45th over.
Rabada first angeled in a fullish delivery from the fourth-stump region which straightened on Niroshan Dickwella, found his edge and flew through to Quinton de Kock, who completed the catch falling to his left.
Rabada’s third wicket of the innings was Dilruwan Perera, who he trapped lbw to complete his 150 Test wicket in his 31st Test. This made him the third-fastest South African Test bowler to the target behind Hugh Tayfield (29 Tests) and Dale Steyn (29). Rabada is also the second-fastest South African (behind Dale Steyn) since readmission to reach 150 Test wickets, as well as the youngest Test bowler to reach the milestone.
The Proteas continued to throttle Sri Lanka, intent on keeping their lead below 350. Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi helped the cause to great effect. Maharaj r0lled a slider into Mathews, who mistimed his slog sweep as the ball crashed into the stumps.
Shamsi then trapped fellow spinner Rangana Herath leg before to knock Sri Lanka nine down for 163.
Sri Lanka added 27 runs for the last wicket to take their lead to 351 before Dale Steyn wrapped up the innings by taking his 421st Test wicket. This took him level with Shaun Pollock as South African leading Test wicket-taker.
Sri Lanka (second innings) 186-4
Dimuth Karunaratne 60, Angelo Mathews 35
Keshav Maharaj 4-58
Kagiso Rabada 3-44
Photo: Isuru Sameera Peiris/AFP/Gallo Images/Getty Images
