THILAN SAMARAWEERA and debutant Dinesh Chandimal both scored half-centuries to lead a Sri Lanka recovery in the second Test against South Africa in Durban.
Sri Lanka had slumped to 162 for five but middle-order pair Samaraweera (86 not out) and Chandimal (58) shared in a century stand to help their side close day one in a much healthier position on 289 for seven.
Earlier, Sri Lanka veteran Mahela Jayawardene became the ninth batsman to reach 10,000 Test runs while Marchant de Lange enjoyed a dream first appearance for South Africa with four wickets, including that of Thisara Perera from the final delivery of the day.
Sri Lanka, who lost the opening match of the three-Test series by an innings, won the toss today and opted to bat but they must have been wondering if that was the right option as they slipped to 47-2.
De Lange made both breakthroughs in just three deliveries, the 21-year-old having opener Tharanga Paranavitana caught by Mark Boucher for 12 and then, in his next over, snaring out-of-form dangerman Kumar Sangakkara for a duck in similar fashion.
That dismissal brought Jayawardene to the wicket and he soon got the one run he needed to reach his 10,000 milestone, but South Africa continued to make steady inroads into the tourists’ batting order and it became 84 for three when captain Tillakaratne Dilshan was dismissed for 47.
Sri Lanka avoided any more setbacks before lunch, going into the interval on 112-3, but they lost a fourth wicket soon after the restart when, in the second over after the resumption, Jayawardene was bowled by Morkel for 31.
It then became 162 for five midway through the session when De Lange claimed his third scalp.
At that stage Sri Lanka must have feared they might not reach 200, but Samaraweera and Chandimal repaired the damage with a valuable 111-run stand for the sixth wicket.
That partnership was finally broken almost immediately after South Africa took the new ball, Morkel getting Chandimal to edge through to Boucher.
Perera could only fend off a short De Lange delivery to Hashim Amla at backward short-leg, but Samaraweera was unbeaten and will be expected to guide Sri Lanka past 300 today.
