Sri Lanka might have been asked to chase a record target at St George's Park. They might have been asked to chase the highest score in South Africa, but they are daring to dream. South Africa might still be on the top, but Sri Lanka are not completely out. Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva's stand of 83 runs for the sixth wicket has kept them alive and South Africa nervy at the end of the fourth day in Gqeberha.
Sri Lanka ended the fourth day on 205/5 in their hunt for a record 348. They are still 143 runs away and have no recognised batter to follow. But who knows what might fold out on Day 5, especially if the target is in double digits with still five wickets in hand.
With the pitch not showing any big demons, Sri Lanka piled up runs at a good rate. They have made 205/5 in 52 overs.
The Lankan Lions didn't start the chase well after coming to bat in the second session of the day. They lost Dimuth Karunaratne early in the third over to Kagiso Rabada before Dane Paterson got Pathum Nissanka 10 overs later. Sri Lanka were in trouble at 64/3 after Paterson got Dinesh Chandimal LBW but then came an act of building from Angelo Mathews and Kamindu Mendis.
Mathews started slow but both the batters made runs at a brisk rate as the visitors got some impetus. But Keshav Maharaj cleaned up Mathews for 32 when the batter was looking to go big before a brilliant catch by wicketkeeper Verreynne took Mendis out for 35. The Proteas had control of the proceedings after bringing the visitors to 122/5.
But DDS and Mendis sailed through well. Both the batters went about their business well and made identical scores of 39 to keep the Lankan Lions in the hunt.
Earlier, Sri Lanka bowled out the hosts for 317 as spinner Prabath Jayasuriya took a five-wicket haul. The pitch seems to have something in it for the spinners due to the roughness, but otherwise does not has demons in it.
The Proteas were looking set to give a target of something over 400 but Jayasuriya's brilliance pegged them back. Now it's up to the batters to make the dream true, if they can.
