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Match Report:

Scorecard

Proteas five wickets away from first Test

South Africa in control in the opening Test after setting Sri Lanka 488 for victory

South Africa edged toward victory in the first Test as Sri Lanka went to stumps on day four at 5-240 in its second innings, still 248 runs short of the victory target of 488 and with a full day to survive for a draw.

South Africa had to work for their wickets but was given a double boost near the end of the day.

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada forced out Kusal Mendis for 58 and Dinesh Chandimal gave away his wicket, caught trying to hit spinner Keshav Maharaj over the top, having been dropped while trying the same thing to the same bowler shortly before.

Rabada, with 2-72, and Maharaj, with 2-84, led the Proteas' patient push toward a win and a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.

"We're not counting our chickens before they hatch," Maharaj said.

"We're willing to win in the final session of the last day."

Philander, Cook put Proteas on top

Sri Lanka showed fight after South Africa declared on 6-406, with an 87-run opening stand between Dimuth Karunaratne (43) and Kaushal Silva (48), Mendis' half-century, and captain Angelo Mathews' 58 not out.

But the tourists weren't yet halfway to their target, and had their last two recognised batsmen at the crease. They also had three full sessions left to bat, after getting through two on Thursday.

"We have to bat through the first session (on Friday)," Karunaratne said.

"We have a chance but we have to get through the first session."

South Africa broke the stubborn Karunaratne-Silva opening partnership with a run out, when JP Duminy combined with wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock to get Karunaratne.

That ended Sri Lanka's best opening partnership in a Test in South Africa and Sri Lanka's second-best opening stand against South Africa anywhere.

Philander's perfect over to start day three

Left-arm spinner Maharaj added the wicket of Kusal Perera, caught behind by de Kock two overs later, and Silva was out lbw to Rabada straight after tea.

South Africa bided their time as Mendis and Mathews built a 75-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Late in the day, Rabada returned to the attack and forced out Mendis with a short, bouncing delivery that the batsman only guided off his bat to de Kock behind the stumps.

Chandimal was given a let-off when he tried to hit Maharaj down the ground.

The ball lobbed up to Stephen Cook at mid-off, who dropped a simple catch. Chandimal tried to go over the top again soon after, miscued again, and was caught by Rabada.

The target of 488 is likely to be out of reach for Sri Lanka despite the pitch flattening out a little as the highest fourth-innings total at St. George's Park, regardless of the result, is only 273.

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (captain), Stephen Cook, Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kyle Abbott, Kagiso Rabada.

Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (captain), Kaushal Silva, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal (wicketkeeper), Dhananjaya de Silva, Rangana Herath, Dushmantha Chameera, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep.