Dane Paterson takes maiden five-wicket haul as Proteas put Sri Lanka on the back foot

Dane Paterson takes maiden five-wicket haul as Proteas put Sri Lanka on the back foot

Dane Paterson took his maiden five-wicket haul while the top-order came to the party to put the Proteas in a position of strength at stumps on day three of the second Test against Sri Lanka.

Paterson finished with figures of 5-71 as Sri Lanka slipped from their overnight total of 242-3 to be dismissed for 328, still trailing the hosts by 30 runs on the first innings.

Aiden Markram then struck 55 while captain Temba Bavuma was 48 not out as the Proteas went to stumps on 191-3, an overall lead of 221 runs with two days still left to play.

Paterson deserved more than the single wicket he took on day two but got his rewards on the third day as the new ball certainly aided the home side.

Marco Jansen made made the initial breakthrough, removing the experienced Angelo Mathews for 42, four overs before the new ball was due while the lanky seamer also dismissed the other overnight batter Kamindu Mendis (48) with the new cherry to leave Sri Lanka on 268-5

Paterson then had a dream over when he took three wickets with (Dhananjaya de Silva (14), Kusal Mendis (16) and Lahiru Kumara (0) all walking back to the dressing room.

Paterson then completed his maiden Test five-wicket haul when the Western Province seamer dismissed Vishwa Fernando (2) while spinner Keshav Maharaj then wrapped up the innings.

Proteas opening pair Markam and De Zorzi added 55 together before the latter was bowled by left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya.

Markram then brought up his half-century but fell to the left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando while Jayasuriya accounted for the wicket of first innings centurion Ryan Rickelton (24).

Tristan Stubbs (36 not out) and his skipper Bavuma then combined for an unbroken partnership of 82 to take the Proteas to stumps a very happy team.

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