||Desk Report||

Dale Steyn and fellow pacers showed their magic as they restricted Sri Lanka for 191 and the handed control of the first Test to South Africa. At the end of the day two, the hosts were on 126 for four, leading by 170 runs in Durban. The Proteas captain Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock were respectively unbeaten for 25 and 15 runs. 

The hosts had earlier bowled the visitors out for 191 in their first innings after their batting failure on day one. However, Sri Lanka started the day two with Sri Lanka at 49 for 1. Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada put their stamp on the game taking three wickets in the first ten overs of the morning. Steyn picked up debutant Oshada Fernando for 19, who were unbeaten along with captain Dimuth Karunaratne at previous day.    

After then, Philander removed the Lankans captain for 30. Kusal Perera played some bold and scored 51 off 63 balls for the visitors. Though Perera guarded the one side of wicket, the Proteas pacers sent back other batters one by one. Niroshan Dickwella (8), Dhananjaya de Silva (23), Suranga Lakmal (4) failed to stay long on the crease. 

However, the stubborn Kusal Perera ultimately dismissed by Steyn and put the hosts again on the track. Lasith Embuldeniya (24) and Kasun Rajitha (12) tried to rescue but they also failed as like their top order. 

Steyn took his career tally to 437 Test wickets, passing India's Kapil Dev (434) and drawing level with Stuart Broad of England in joint seventh place on the all-time list. Among others Philander took 2 for 32 and Rabada 2 for 48 runs. 

After then, the hosts strated their second innings with a lead of 45 runs. Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram began a attacking innings, but, Markram dismissed by Rajitha for 28 off 31 balls. Three more wickets fell reasonably cheaply as the hosts' top-order again proved fragile.

Hashim Amla dismissed by Vishwa Fernando for 16 while Temba Bavuma sent back by  Embuldeniya for 3. At last, Elgar also went back for 35. South Africa finally scored 126 for 4 at stumps.