Islanders make steady progress

Young opener Jehan Mubarak fell two runs short of his maiden Test 50 as Sri Lanka continued to make good progress on day one of the second Test against South Africa on Friday.

After being sent into bat by South Africa captain Shaun Pollock, Sri Lanka reached tea on 173 for three, with Mahela Jayawardene on 35 not out and Hashan Tillakaratne on 31.

Despite playing in just his second Test, the 21 year-old Mubarak batted with the confidence of a veteran, a model of technique in defence and dismissive of anything loose from the South African bowlers.

But after pulling Pollock contemptuously through mid-wicket for four, the South African captain struck to claim the third wicket of the innings, Graeme Smith pocketing a routine chance at first slip as Mubarak attempted to force the ball away off the back foot.

But it proved the only breakthrough of the session for the home side. Although the pitch still has a fair covering of grass, Jayawardene and Tillakaratne looked increasingly comfortable dealing with the five-man South African seam attack, after the selectors decided not to include left arm spinner Claude Henderson.

By tea the pair had added 65 in an unbroken partnership for the fourth wicket. Sri Lanka went to lunch on 90 for two after the fall of Kumar Sangakkara, the left-hander driving loosely at a deliverty from Andrew Hall in the final over of the session and snapped up at first slip by Pollock for an entertaining 35, including five crisply struck boundaries.

Marvan Atapattu, standing in as captain for the injured Sanath Jayasuriya, was the only other wicket to fall in the morning.

Atapattu had just taken successive boundaries from Jacques Kallis’ first over but fell to the South African all rounder when he attempted to hook a short delivery and gloved a looping chance to Gary Kirsten at short-leg. (Reuters)