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Ranjan Anandappa reporting from South Africa

Skipper Shuan Pollock and wicket keeper Mark Boucher put South Africa into an impregnable position with a record partnership of 132 for the seventh wicket as the home team took a substantial first innings lead of 98 runs at the end of the third day of the second Cricket Test against Sri Lanka at the Super Sport Park at Centurion.

South Africa ended the day at 421 for 9 with skipper Shuan Pollock unbeaten on 78 striking eight fours and six in 139 ball stay at the wicket and with him was Makhaya Ntini.

The vital injection of rapidity came from Pollock and Boucher as the early runs in the morning came at a leisurely pace when the pre-lunch session produced only 62 runs off 32 overs. Gibbs and Kallis who were the overnight unbeaten pair with the score reading 183 for 2 batted with monumental patience to build up a substantial score. Kallis and Gibbs did it in style when they added 140 runs for the third wicket facing 329 balls till disaster struck when Gibbs with a sudden rush of blood pushed one to short extra cover and ran down the wicket for a single which was never there and was run out and missed a century which was in striking distance.It was quite apparent that the South Africans were not that keen in batting last and their job was to occupy the crease for long as possible with two more full days of play left and bowl Sri Lanka out cheaply in the second innings.

Gibbs 92 had eleven fours facing 216 deliveries and spent 315 minutes at the wicket.

Kallis did not last long thereafter eight runs later Hasantha Fernando bowling his first over in the morning had Kaliis' stumps shattered with a good delivery for 84. Kallis had faced 196 deliveries and had nine fours in his innings. Left hander Ashwell Prince and Neil Mckenzie batted for a brief moment when Vaas had Prince caught behind and Mckenzie lbw to Gamage to give his first Test wicket in foreign soil.

Pollock joined Boucher when South Africa were 264 for 6 still needing 59 runs to overtake the Sri Lankan innings. They took full advantage of a tired looking Sri Lankan attack and when the pair had added 132 runs for the seventh wicket Gamage caught Boucher off his own bowling for 63 ending a frustrating alliance between Pollock and Boucher.

Skipper Marvan Atapattu switched his bowlers in an vain attempt to lure the batsmen into error but the wickets did not fall quickly enough. Chamila Gamage, Dilhara Fernando and Muthiah Muralidharan took two wickets apiece. Muralitharan's 53 overs cost him 116 runs.

SRI LANKA - 1ST INNINGS 323

(H. Tillakaratne 104 not out; M. Ntini 4-86)

SOUTH AFRICA - 1ST INNINGS
(overnight 183-2)

G. Smith 	lbw b D. Fernando		 15
H. Gibbs 	run out				 92
G. Kirsten 	c H. Fernando b D. Fernando 	 11
J. Kallis 	b H. Fernando			 84
A. Prince 	c Sangakkara b Vaas		 20
N. McKenzie 	lbw b Gamage			 28
M. Boucher 	c and b Gamage			 63
S. Pollock 	not out				 78
A. Hall lbw 	b Muralitharan			  0
S. Elworthy 	c Tillakaratne b Muralitharan	  5
M. Ntini 	not out				  3

Extras 	(B-4, LB-10, NB-5, W-3)			 22

TOTAL 	(for nine wickets, 159 overs)		421

FALL: 1-45, 2-71, 3-211, 4-219, 5-258, 6-264,
      7-396, 8-400, 9-408.
BOWLING: Vaas 32-7-77-1, Gamage 22-2-71-2 (W-3), 
      D.Fernando 25-0-85-2 (NB-5),Muralitharan 53-10-116-2,
      H. Fernando 18-5-45-1, Mubarak 2-0-6-0, 
      Jayawardene 2-1-2-0, Arnold 5-2-5-0.

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