There is not really much the Sri Lankans can do to save the second Test, so dominant has been the Proteas performance over the first two days at Newlands.
I suppose the visitors may hope they can sweep through the South African line-up for under a hundred. But even that scenario will give them a target of more than 400. The Proteas start day three on 35-0, a lead of 317 with all wickets in hand.
Not only is it highly unlikely they will restrict the Proteas so severely, but they would still have a mountain to climb: their batting has been woeful.
The signs are that the visitors will be offered 500-plus to win, and it is more than likely they will have to start their journey before this day is out. The Proteas are probably booking tee times for day five.
The Sri Lankans have only themselves to blame. If they are to put up any resistance, they have to start playing sensible cricket. As they did in Port Elizabeth, they gave away soft wickets with reckless and thoughtless shots on day two at Newlands. But that is not to take anything away from the South African bowling which has been precise and incisive.
Maharaj Keshav, often regarded as a containing bowler while the quicks do the damage, has shown he can strike in his own right, and he will be looking to build his CV on a pitch which should offer him more help as the day goes on … especially if the wind continues to assist his flight variation, as it did on day two.
Day two report
Photo: Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
