SL recover after early wobble

Thilan Samaraweera and Dinesh Chandimal steered Sri Lanka out of trouble while Mahela Jayawardene joined the 10,000-run club on the first day of the second Test against South Africa on Monday. Sri Lanka had elected to bat first under clear blue skies on a brown-coloured pitch and the move appeared to have backfired as they stumbled to 162 for five.

But Samaraweera and debutant Chandimal constructed an impressive 111-run sixth-wicket partnership to lift Sri Lanka to 289 for seven. The 22-year-old Chandimal scored 58 off 86 balls,with seven fours. Samaraweera,who played with the straightest of bats and great application,was unbeaten on 86. Fast bowler Marchant de Lange enjoyed a memorable debut with four wickets after stepping in for Vernon Philander.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 289/7 (T Samaraweera 86 batting,D Chandimal 58,T Dilshan 47; Mde Lange 4/60,M Morkel 2/55) vs South Africa