17:00 IST
87.3 – No run.
17:00 IST
87.2 – Whoa! This one’s bounced now and Bavuma could have been run out too!
17:00 IST
87.1 – That is a top delivery. Asitha Fernando bowls it on a good length, outside off, angles it in and Temba Bavuma looks to defend. But then, the ball straightens off the deck, squares Bavuma up and beats the outside edge.
16:57 IST
86.6 – No run.
16:57 IST
86.5 – Outside off, left alone.
16:54 IST
86.4 – OUT! lbw b Lahiru Kumara.
16:54 IST
86.3 – 2 runs.
16:54 IST
86.2 – 1 run.
16:54 IST
86.1 – EDGED, FOUR! Lady Luck! Why shy away from the Lankans?
16:51 IST
85.6 – There it is! Becomes the first South African to score a Test hundred in Durban!
Batsman_1 : Tristan Stubbs 100(183)
Batsman_2 : Temba Bavuma 89(189)
Bowler : Asitha Fernando 0/46(15)
Over : 86
Run : 5
Wicket : 0
Score : 289/3
16:51 IST
85.5 – On a good length, around off, Tristan punches it down the ground, but cannot beat mid on.
16:51 IST
Ohhh…. the crowd was building up nicely for Stubbs’ 100 and Asitha was charging in. But Stubbs backed off at the last moment, saying that he was not ready!
16:51 IST
85.4 – Not yet. He is not going to throw it away. Not having reached so close. Asitha throws in a tempter, full outside off, Stubbs is happy to let it go.
16:48 IST
85.3 – Make that 98.
16:48 IST
85.2 – Full, just outside off, Tristan Stubbs defends it watchfully, down the track. He is a hit away from a century now, on 96.
16:48 IST
85.1 – A short ball, around middle, Temba Bavuma gets inside the line, swivels and just shovel-pulls it, all along the ground, rolling his wrists over the ball, towards fine leg for a single.
16:45 IST
84.6 – 1 run.
16:45 IST
84.5 – Outside off and nipping in a bit on a fuller length, Temba Bavuma reaches for it and plays it away from his body and the ball zips back in to go past the inside edge.
16:45 IST
84.4 – Hits the deck hard, on a short of a length, and angles it into the batter, over middle, Tristan Stubbs does well to tuck it across, in front of deep mid-wicket for a single.
16:45 IST
84.3 – This is now the highest 4th wicket stand for South Africa against Sri Lanka in Tests. Goes past the 192 made in 2012, in Cape Town, by the pair of Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers. It is their third highest overall against the Lankans as well. Streaky way to get there, as Bavuma slashes at a wide one outside off and gets a thick outside edge behind point. Takes the run.
16:42 IST
84.2 – No run.
16:42 IST
84.1 – Full, outside off, Tristan Stubbs is on the move. Gets to the pitch of the ball and drives it through the covers for a single. The lead is now 430.
16:42 IST
83.6 – Fuller than a length, outside off, straightens off the deck. Temba Bavuma looks to drive and gets beaten on the outside edge again.
Batsman_1 : Temba Bavuma 86(184)
Batsman_2 : Tristan Stubbs 94(176)
Bowler : Asitha Fernando 0/41(14)
Over : 84
Run : 2
Wicket : 0
Score : 280/3
16:42 IST
83.5 – Good length, on middle and off, Temba Bavuma taps it back to the bowler.
16:39 IST
83.4 – No run.
16:39 IST
83.3 – Around off, Tristan Stubbs works it through mid-wicket for a run.
16:39 IST
83.2 – Outside off, on a length, the skipper punches it through the covers for a single. This stand is now worth 190.
16:36 IST
The physio has come out to the middle now. Kamindu Mendis is showing one of his fingers on his right hand to him. The batters take the moment to grab a drinks or two.
16:36 IST
83.1 – Another edge, does not carry. To make matters worse, Kamindu Mendis has hurt himself as well. Those slip fielders would be wondering, what do they need to do to get a catch into their bread basket. Perhaps that extended thought saw Angelo Mathews spill one. Remember, Stubbs was on 33 then.
16:33 IST
82.6 – 1 run.
16:33 IST
Interesting thought from Shaun Pollock on air. He opines that he probably would not have gone with Lahiru Kumara as the first choice to use the second new ball.
16:33 IST
82.5 – On a good length, outside off, Temba Bavuma makes a confident leave.
16:33 IST
82.4 – Nice shot! Short and on middle, hitting the deck hard, Temba Bavuma pulls it to the left of deep square leg and gets two more runs.
16:33 IST
82.3 – Around off, nudged to the leg side.
16:30 IST
82.1 – A length ball, but a bit too straight. Tristan Stubbs looks to flick but misses. The ball goes off his hips towards fine leg. A single taken, leg bye signalled.
16:30 IST
In this third inning, we have seen a deep point almost from the first ball. One understands that Dhananjaya de Silva is looking to control the damage but you are not going to restrict the opposition by spreading the field. You will need wickets and you will not get those by allowing the strike to be rotated easily. Just as a bowler gets frustrated to see the strike gettigng rotated, a batter gets equally frustrated after playing out too many dots. With nothing happening, get the field in, create the dots, build the frustration and hope for gifts in the form of wickets.
16:30 IST
81.6 – FOUR! CRACKED THROUGH! On a length, in and around the fifth stump line, shaping away off the deck, Temba Bavuma stays on the back foot and cuts it past gully to his right and gets a boundary.
Batsman_1 : Temba Bavuma 82(174)
Batsman_2 : Tristan Stubbs 93(174)
Bowler : Asitha Fernando 0/39(13)
Over : 82
Run : 5
Wicket : 0
Score : 274/3
16:30 IST
81.5 – Fuller and outside off, shaping away further from the batter. Temba Bavuma holds his bat high and makes a leave.
16:30 IST
82.2 – No run.
16:27 IST
81.4 – No run.
