Lahiru Udara’s unbeaten half-century led the Sri Lanka A (SL ‘A’) fightback on a shortened day two of the second and final unofficial Test against South Africa A (SA ‘A’) at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Monday.

The opener hit 61 off 110 balls (10 fours) to lead the tourists to 134 for two when bad light and rain forced a premature end to proceedings after the tea interval. It meant that SL ‘A’ had closed to within 200 of the home side, who lost their last three wickets earlier for just 18 runs, thanks to the visiting seamers.

The South Africans had resumed the second morning with captain Neil Brand still in the middle, unbeaten on his overnight 122.

But after adding just seven to his tally, he fell to Eshan Malinga (3/68) for 129 off 253 balls (12 fours, 1 six). Prenelan Subrayen was cleaned up by Isitha Wijesundera (2/60) for a duck before Migael Pretorius fell to the same bowler for 19.

South Africa’s own seamers accounted for two Sri Lanakan wickets relatively cheaply. Beyers Swanepoel (1/41) was first to strike when he had Nuwanidu Fernando caught by Tshepang Dithole for 11 and the miserly Mihlali Mpongwana (1/12) got rid of Pavan Rathnayake (15).

At 57 for two, the hosts would have felt confident. But captain Pasindu Sooriyabandara walked in and struck an unbeaten 43 to repel the home side. By the close, he had added an unbroken 77 with Udara for the third wicket to leave the game in the balance at halfway.

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