Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne ensured his team would avoid an innings defeat but the tourists were in a precarious position at the end of the second day of the second and final Test against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium on Monday.
The tourists were 150/4 at the close in Johannesburg, a lead of five runs with six wickets remaining.
Karunaratne, one of five left-handers in the Sri Lankan top six, made 91 not out off 116 balls with 17 fours.
But there was only one partnership of note, 85 for the second wicket with Lahiru Thirimanne, who scored 31. They came together after Kusal Perera had been bowled with only one run scored.
Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi took the first three wickets to finish the day with 3/26, having Thirimanne and Kusal Mendis caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock off successive deliveries. It was the third successive nought by Mendis.
Karunaratne’s innings continued a fightback which started with the team’s bowlers, who…