Colombo: Fast bowler Dale Steyn claimed wickets off successive deliveries before Mahela Jayawardene hit an attacking half century to guide Sri Lanka to 115-3 at lunch on the first day of the second test against South Africa on Thursday.
Steyn removed Upul Tharanga and Kumar Sangakkara off short pitched balls to leave the home team reeling at 16-2 after Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews won the toss and elected to bat.
Tharanga couldn't get his glove out of the way while attempting to leave Steyn's short ball and Sangakkara top edged an easy catch off the very first ball he faced.
But Jayawardene, (53 not out) and Kaushal Silva (44) combined for an attractive 99-run stand before JP Duminy had Silva caught in the slips off the last over before lunch.
Silva hit seven fours in his 73-ball knock but offered a thick edge to AB de Villiers while attempting a drive a pitched up delivery.
South Africa could have got rid of Silva while he was on 10 after Steyn's double strike, but Alviro Petersen missed a catch at third slip.
Jayawardene completed his 49th test half century off 58 balls when he paddled swept Imran Tahir to fine leg and ran two.
Sri Lanka made three changes to its lineup in a bid to level the two-test series after losing the first match at Galle.
The 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella made his test debut, replacing Dinesh Chandimal, while another youngster Kithuruwan Vithanage came in place of Lahiru Thirimanne.
Ajantha Mendis replaced injured fast bowler Shaminda Eranga as Sri Lanka hoped Sinhalese Sports Club Ground's wicket will support its three spinners.
South Africa kept faith in its three fast bowlers -- Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel -- with Tahir its specialist legspinner.
Earlier Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews won the toss and elected to bat first against South Africa in the second test Thursday.
Sri Lanka made three changes to its lineup in a bid to level the two-test series after losing the first match at Galle.
The 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella made his test debut, replacing Dinesh Chandimal, while another youngster Kithuruwan Vithanage came in place of Lahiru Thirimanne.
Ajantha Mendis replaced injured fast bowler Shaminda Eranga as Sri Lanka hoped Sinhalese Sports Club Ground's wicket will support its three spinners.
South Africa kept faith in its three fast bowlers -- Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel -- with Imran Tahir its specialist legspinner.
Teams:
Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (captain), Upul Tharanga, Kaushal Silva, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Niroshan Dickwella, Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis, Suranga Lakmal
South Africa: Hashim Amla (captain), Alviro Petersen, Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir.
