Durban: Sri Lanka extended their lead to 235 runs over South Africa after reaching 65 for three in their second innings on a rain-affected third morning of the second Test on Wednesday.
The start of play was delayed for an hour while the outfield dried after morning and overnight rain.
Kumar Sangakkara was not out at lunch on 28, while first-innings centurion Thilan Samaraweera was on nine as two wickets fell in the play that was possible.
The home side almost took immediate advantage of the overcast conditions when Sangakkara, on his overnight score of three, edged Morne Morkel to the slips in the first over of the day.
The catch was heading straight to Graeme Smith at first slip, but wicketkeeper Mark Boucher reacted late, flinging out his glove in front of the captain`s face, distracting him and causing him to drop the catch.
Morkel did, however, claim the wicket of Tharanga Paranavitana for nine in the seventh over of the day. The opener pushed firmly outside the off-stump at a delivery that bounced more than expected and moved away, Ashwell Prince taking a diving catch in the slips.
Leading run-scorer Mahela Jayawardene, who became the first Sri Lankan and ninth batsman overall to reach 10,000 Test runs in the first innings, had scored 14 when he shouldered arms to a delivery from fast bowler Marchant de Lange that nipped back in off the pitch and caught him in front of the stumps.
Umpire Steve Davis gave Jayawardene out lbw, but the batsman, feeling that he had been struck high on the pad, asked for a review of the decision. Hawkeye showed the ball was hitting the top of the stumps, so third umpire Rod Tucker upheld Davis`s decision and Jayawardene was out.
South Africa lead the three-Test series 1-0.
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 18:35