GQEBERHA, South Africa — On the third day of the second Test, South Africa is steadily crafting a solid total against Sri Lanka, having reached 191-3 in their second innings, granting them a comfortable lead of 221 runs as Saturday came to a close.

Aiden Markram played a crucial role by scoring 55 runs, which helped to push the Proteas’ lead beyond the century mark. Additionally, captain Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs formed a resilient partnership that remained unbroken, amassing an impressive 82 runs together by the end of the day.

With the Proteas already leading the series 1-0, they will be looking to gain even more confidence as they aim to add to their score before lunch on Sunday. The historical backdrop at St George’s Park shows that the highest successful run chase recorded here was 271 runs by Australia against South Africa back in 1997.

Earlier on Saturday, Sri Lanka had been in a promising position at 242-3 but struggled to maintain their momentum, finishing their first innings at 328 runs, falling short of South Africa’s total by 30 runs. This downturn was largely due to an impressive performance from medium-pacer Dane Paterson, who achieved his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

Gerald Coetzee’s replacement due to injury shone brightly, claiming three wickets in a single over and finishing with figures of 5-71 overall, making a significant impact on the match.