BBC SPORT | Cricket | Sri Lanka turn tables

Second Test, Centurion, day one (stumps): Sri Lanka 263-6 v South Africa

Hashan Tillekaratne was on the verge of a century as Sri Lanka turned around their recent poor batting form on day one of the second Test against South Africa.

The tourists took advantage of home captain Shaun Pollock's decision to put them into bat after he won the toss, and at stumps Tillekaratne was 82 not out, having hit 15 boundaries already.

The left-hander survived one chance, on 35, when he cut Pollock hard to Jacques Kallis at second slip.

It was the first half-century in the series by a Sri Lankan after a disappointing first Test saw them dismissed twice for under 200 in just three days.

Hashan Tillekaratne
Tillekaratne was 82 not out at stumps

In support, Mahela Jayawardene made 44 in a fourth-wicket partnership of 81.

And left-hander Jehan Mubarak, in for injured skipper Sanath Jayasuriya, was dismissed two short of a half-century after a mature innings in just his second Test.

Mubarak and stand-in captain Marvan Atapattu survived the opening new ball burst by Pollock and Makhaya Ntini.

But the introduction of Jacques Kallis led to the breakthrough as he drew Atapattu, on 17, into an injudicious hook shot which lobbed to Gary Kirsten at short leg.

Mubarak shared a second wicket stand of 56 with Kumar Sangakkara, who smashed 35 off 38 balls before chasing a wide ball from Andrew Hall to Pollock at slip on the stroke of lunch.

The opener faced 108 deliveries but headed back to the pavilion himself after chasing a perfect Pollock away-swinger to be caught by Graeme Smith at slip.

Jayawardene's 151-minute stay came to an end when Pollock forced him to play onto his stumps.

And a fearsome late spell from Makhaya Ntini dislodged tailender Hasantha Fernando, who had contributed 24 to a partnership of 56 for the seventh wicket.

South Africa: Herschelle Gibbs, Graeme Smith, Gary Kirsten, Jacques Kallis, Neil McKenzie, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock (captain), Andrew Hall, Steve Elworthy, Makhaya Ntini.

Sri Lanka: Marvan Atapattu (captain), Jehan Mubarak, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Russel Arnold, Hashan Tillakaratne, Hasantha Fernando, Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando, Chamila Gamage, Muttiah Muralitharan.


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