SA vs SL 2nd Test: South Africa pull away from Sri Lanka on day three

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South Africa ended day three of the second Test against Sri Lanka with a 221-run lead, with Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs combining to put the hosts in the ascendency.

Sri Lanka resumed at 242-3 but lost their final six wickets for just 67 runs as the Proteas took a slim 30-run lead from the first innings.

Marco Jansen dismissed Angelo Matthews (44) and Kamindu Mendis (48) in quick succession to get the ball rolling for the Proteas, with Dane Paterson then proceeding to tear through the Sri Lanka tail.

He added four more wickets to Friday's dismissal of Dinesh Chandimal to bring up his first five-for in Test cricket, with three of them coming in a terrific 89th over.

Tony de Zorzi put on a 55-run first-wicket stand when the Proteas took up the bat, before spinner Prabath Jayasuriya beat him all ends up with a full delivery.

Aiden Markram also made 55 before falling victim to a sensational one-handed catch from the diving Kusal Mendis, with Ryan Rickelton (24) following as South Africa slipped to 109-3.

However, Bavuma and Stubbs restored calm, sharing 84 runs in an orderly stand that took South Africa to stumps without further loss. They will resume at 191-3 on Sunday, knowing no team has ever completed a chase of more than 271 runs at St George's Oval.

Data Debrief: Bavuma and Stubbs show the way

South Africa were teetering somewhat at 109-3, but some watchful batting from Bavuma and Stubbs ensured they would enter day four in a commanding position.

Bavuma (48*) is now closing in on his fourth straight half-century of the series, while Stubbs (36*) hit the best score of his Test career (122) in South Africa's second innings of the first Test. Anything close to that knock would surely put the contest beyond Sri Lanka.