Drama unfolds as Bavuma, Stubbs celebrate Test centuries

Drama in the 90s

Two runs shy of a century, Bavuma went for a sweep shot of Prabath Jayasuriya's spin and it appeared that he had completely missed the ball as it struck his pad and trickled past short fine-leg and to the boundary for three runs. The Sri Lankans sent the decision upstairs looking for an LBW dismissal. All the while, Bavuma's celebration was delayed as the batter was not certain whether he got bat or glove on the ball. When ultra edge showed that he had gloved it ever so slightly, it was then that the 34-year-old could celebrate his third Test ton. There was complete silence at Kingsmead as the batter awaited the third umpire's decision and when the skipper was cleared, the Kingsmead faithful celebrated with the skipper what was a well-earned third Test century.

Stubbs Century

Playing in only his second Test at home and having fallen cheaply in the first innings, Stubbs would have wanted to prove to himself that he could be a genuine century-maker for South Africa at number three in the batting order. His maiden century in Bangladesh last month gave the 24-year-old the script to making centuries at this level as he was just as patient as he was in Chittagong and brought his first Test century on home soil.

Ball

Having reached his century, Stubbs received a peach of a delivery from left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando. Running in from around the wicket, the bowler delivered on the good length and the ball swung into the right-handed batter and did enough to pierce the batter's defence and bowled the centurion out. Most importantly, the Sri Lankans had broken a 249-run stand, the highest fourth-wicket partnership by South Africa against Sri Lanka.

Match-up

Going into the Test, the match-up between Kagiso Rabada and Sri Lanka opening batter Dimuth Karunaratne was always going to be an interesting battle. As one of the more experienced batters in the visiting batting line-up and known for his grit and ability to bat long, Karunaratne's wicket was always going to be the most prized. Rabada knicked him off in the first innings and the bowler similarly got the better of him in the second innings as he gave the Proteas an early wicket and undone arguably the most dangerous batter in the side.

Catch

Tony de Zorzi completed one of the most extraordinary catches to give South Africa their fifth wicket on day three. Rabada bowled the leg-stimp line, nightwatchman Jayasuriya clipped the 135 kph delivery straight to De Zorzi at short-leg and the 27-year-old's fast reflexes allowed him to catch the ball despite the dwindling light late in the day. De Zorzi left his own teammates in disbelief just as much as Jayasuriya was as he reluctantly made his way off the field.