South Africa 193/2 at tea
Hashim Amla 50 not out
JP Duminy 87 not out
Johannesburg – JP Duminy steered South Africa out of trouble early in the team’s innings and into a favourable position with an unbeaten 87 runs going into the tea break on 193 for two on the first day of the third and final Test of the series at the Wanderers.
Playing in his 100th Test match for the Proteas, Hashim Amla played a supporting role and found some form as he reached his first half-century in 11 innings.
Amla (50 not out) patiently bided his time in front of the wicket facing 105 deliveries for his half ton to share in an unbeaten partnership of 148 runs with Duminy.
South Africa faced the prospect off a clean sweep after clinching the series 2-0 with victories in Port Elizabeth and Cape Town.
While Proteas captain Faf du Plessis spoke about the team’s appetite for a series whitewash, the song and dance was rightfully directed at Amla reaching his milestone.
Openers Stephen Cook (10) and Dean Elgar (27) did not survive past lunchtime after a slow start to the innings after South Africa won the toss and opted to bat first.
The duo lost their wickets in consecutive overs, after an uneventful opening 10 overs, leaving South Africa in trouble on 45/2.
Sri Lanka finally got the rub of the green as Angelo Mathews caught Cook leg before which the South African took on review.
Mathews seemed to have overstepped but in the end, a hair's breadth of rubber behind the line gave Sri Lanka its first wicket of the match.
This brought the man of the moment to the crease with Amla’s arrival induced a standing ovation from the relatively small crowd.
Shortly after Cook’s departure Elgar followed suit when got a thick edge to Dimuth Karunaratne at slip off Lahiru Kumar sending the South African to the dressing room.
Meanwhile, fast bowler Duanne Olivier would make his debut after he was selected in an all-pace attack.
Olivier has been in good form during the domestic season as the leading wicket-taker in the competition with 28 victims at an average of 21.60.