Cricket: Sanga’s ton puts Sri Lanka in control

Left-hander scores maiden ton in South Africa as tourists lead by 426 runs.

DURBAN:

Kumar Sangakkara took advantage of an early let-off and batted Sri Lanka into a powerful position with a superb century on the third day of the second Test match against South Africa, leaving his side 426 runs ahead with three wickets remaining.

Sangakkara scored 108 and was dismissed in the over after debutant Dinesh Chandimal went for 54, his second half-century of the match. Sri Lanka now look favourites to win the match in what would be their first Test win of the year – and their first in four tours of South Africa.

Sangakkara, whose first three innings in the series were one, two and zero, had not added to his overnight score of three when he edged the fourth ball of the morning, from Morne Morkel, towards Graeme Smith at first slip. Wicket-keeper Mark Boucher dived for the ball, obscuring Smith’s vision, and the South African captain put down the chance.

The left-handed former captain made the home side pay as he constructed a classy innings in overcast and gloomy conditions. Earlier, overnight and morning rain delayed the start by an hour and the floodlights were on during most of the day.

Sangakkara reached his fifty off 102 balls with four fours and then took command, scoring his second fifty off only 59 deliveries, adding nine more boundaries. It was his 28th Test century.

First-innings century-maker Thilan Samaraweera shared a 94-run fourth wicket stand with Sangakkara after the first three wickets had fallen for 44 runs to give South Africa hope of bowling themselves back into contention despite trailing by 170 runs on the first-innings.

Samaraweera made 43 before being deceived by a googly from Imran Tahir, which he edged on to his stumps. Sri Lanka pressed home their advantage as Sangakkara and Chandimal piled on the runs for the sixth wicket.

Dale Steyn, going wicket-less in the first-innings, picked up three wickets while Tahir chipped in with a brace.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2011.