Bavuma And Stubbs Centuries Leave Proteas On The Verge Of Victory

South Africa is on the verge of a commanding victory in the opening Test against Sri Lanka in Durban, with the tourists facing a daunting task to salvage the match. On day three, after Sri Lanka resumed their second innings and began chasing a massive target of 516 runs, they ended the day at 103/5, needing 413 more runs to win.

All-rounder Marco Jansen, who had a remarkable performance in Sri Lankas first innings with figures of 7/17, continued his dominant display, taking 2/22. He was well supported by Kagiso Rabada, who claimed 2/34. Together, they effectively restricted Sri Lanka's top order, leaving them in a precarious position with just two days remaining.

Earlier, South Africa's second innings was bolstered by a brilliant double-century partnership between captain Temba Bavuma 113 off 228 balls and Tristan Stubbs 122 off 221. The pair put on a massive 249-run stand for the fourth wicket, pushing the Proteas to 366/5 before declaring at tea. Bavuma's century was his third in Test cricket, while Stubbs recorded a career-best score, marking his second century in just his sixth Test match.

Reflecting on his innings, Bavuma expressed personal satisfaction, saying that the challenging wicket forced him to focus and stick to his game plan, which helped him bat longer. He also mentioned the satisfaction of reaching three figures, although he would have preferred to remain not out at the end of the day.

With Sri Lanka needing a miracle to avoid defeat, South Africa is poised for a potentially dominant victory in the next two days.