Anyone’s Match

Yet another great bowling performance from Muttiah Muralitharan, has given Sri Lanka an even money chance of winning the second Test in Colombo.

Murali claimed the last three South African wickets to fall this morning, to give him 12 wickets for the match, and to leave Sri Lanka 352 runs to chase for victory. At stumps Sri Lanka were 262-5. still needing a further 90 runs for victory.

Earlier Mark Boucher had played an entertaining inning of 65, before being dismissed caught off the bowling of Murali. He was the champion bowlers third wicket of the morning, as yet again Murali looked a class above the other Sri Lankan bowlers.

Faced with a dangerous period before lunch of 11 overs, Sri Lanka started poorly, losing the wicket of opener Upul Tharanga for a duck, he was well caught by Hershelle Gibbs from the bowling of makhaya Ntini. Sri Lanka went to lunch on 48-1.

The home team went on the attack after lunch led by opener Sanath Jayasuriya he bludgeoned 73 from just 74 deliveries, including 9 fours and three sixes.

South Africa however stuck to their task well and were rewarded first with the wicket of Kumar Sangakkara 39 (94-2) and then the prized wicket of Jayasuriya at 121-3.

Nicky Boje was proving a difficult proposition and he soon dismissed both Tillakaratne Dishan and Chamara Kapugedera cheaply. This left Sri Lanka precariously positioned at 201-5.

A fifth wicket partnership between Mahela Jayawardene 77* and Prasanna Jayawardene 27* restored Sri Lankan hopes and at stumps it seemed anyone’s match.

South Africa 361
AB de Villiers 95, Ashwell Prince 86, Shaun Pollock 57*
Muttiah Muralitharan 5-128, Lasith Malinga 3-81

Sri Lanka 321
Chaminda Vaas 64, Chamara Kapugedera 63, Farveez Maharoof 56
Dale Steyn 5-82, Makhaya Ntini 4-84

South Africa 311
Herschelle Gibbs 92, Mark Boucher 65
Muttiah Muralitharan 7-97

Sri Lanka 262-5
Mahela Jayawardene 77*, Sanath Jayasuriya 73
Nicky Boje 3-76

Sri Lanka require a further 90 runs for victory