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Sangakkara puts Sri Lanka in command
August 12, 2004 19:17 IST
Kumar Sangakkara's third double century and two late wickets from Sanath Jayasuriya left Sri Lanka in control of the second Test against South Africa after the second day on Thursday.
Sangakkara, who started the day on 157, having come to the crease in the first over of the match, scored 232 from 357 balls, hitting 31 fours and one six during an innings that spanned nearly nine hours.
Sri Lanka were finally bowled out for 470 at tea while South Africa closed on 116 for three after left-arm spinner Jayasuriya took two late wickets for the hosts, who are without the injured Test wicket record holder Muttiah Muralitharan.
After toiling all day in the field in sweltering conditions, South Africa began their innings poorly when left-armer Chaminda Vaas struck in the first over, trapping Herschelle Gibbs lbw for a golden duck with a perfectly pitched inswinger.
Captain Graeme Smith (49 not out) and Martin van Jaarsveld then compiled a 108-run second-wicket stand before Jayasuriya broke through with his second ball just before the close as van Jaarsveld mistimed a drive and was caught at short cover for 51.
Two balls later, Jayasuriya bowled nightwatchman Nicky Boje with a delivery that spun back through the gate to swing the initiative back to the hosts.
Earlier, Sangakkara had completed the fourth highest Test score against South Africa after Australia's Don Bradman (299), England's Eddie Paynter (243) and Mahela Jayawardene's 237 in the first Test.
The 26-year-old, dropped on 57 at first slip by Jaques Kallis at slip on day one, was let off on 177 when Shaun Pollock was unable to hold a difficult one-handed return catch.
Sangakkara added 76 with Thilan Samaraweera (21) for the fifth wicket in the morning after the early loss of nightwatchman Vaas (10), who edged to slip.
But Samaraweera's fall six minutes before lunch, as he top-edged a hook and was caught on the fence, sparked a lower order collapse with five wickets falling for 45 runs.
Tillakaratne Dilshan (three) was snapped up at slip off Shaun Pollock, Romesh Kaluwitharana (seven) edged to the wicketkeeper and then Sangakkara was caught at slip off Pollock.
Rangana Herath then chopped a Makhaya Ntini delivery on to leave the hosts on 437 for nine before Upul Chandana frustrated South Africa with a useful cameo of 40, adding 33 runs for the last wicket with Lasith Malinga.
Pollock finished with four for 81 from 30 overs of probing and intelligent swing bowling.
Scoreboard
Sri Lanka (1st innings):
M.Atapattu c Boucher b Pollock 4
S.Jayasuriya lbw Boje 43
K.Sangakkara c Kallis b Pollock 232
M.Jayawardene b Ntini 82
C.Vaas c van Jaarsveld b Pollock 10
T.Samaraweera c Ntini b Kallis 21
T.Dilshan c Kallis b Pollock 3
R.Kaluwitharana c Boucher b Hayward 7
U.Chandana st Boucher c Boje 40
R.Herath b Ntini 7
L.Malinga not out 6.
Extras: (lb-6, nb-8, w-1) 15
Total: (all out, 142.3 overs) 470
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-99, 3-291, 4-316, 5-392, 6-399, 7-416, 8-418, 9-437
Bowling: S.Pollock 30-8-81-4 (nb-5), M.Ntini 33-6-108-2 (nb-2 w-1), N.Hayward 17-4-75-1 (nb-1), J.Kallis 17-6-54-1, N.Boje 34.3-5-102-2, J.Rudolph 4-0-16-0, M.Van Jaarsveld 7-0-28-0
South Africa (1st innings):
G.Smith not out 49
H.Gibbs lbw Vaas 0
M.van Jaarsveld c Sangakkara b Jayasuriya 51
N.Boje b Jayasuriya 0
J.Kallis not out 4.
Extras: (lb-8, nb-4) 12
Total: (for three wickets, 37 overs) 116
To bat: B.Dippenaar, J.Rudolph, S.Pollock, M.Boucher, M.Ntini, N.Hayward
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-109, 3-109
Bowling: Vaas 7-3-10-1, Malinga 8-1-33-0 (nb-4), Herath 11-1-39-0, Chandana 6-0-21-0, Dilshan 2-0-3-0, Jayasuriya 3-2-2-2