South Africa closed in on a series whitewash of Sri Lanka on day four of the second Test in Gqeberha. The Proteas require five wickets to complete a 2-0 win over the tourists, who need 143 runs to level the series at St George's Oval.

South Africa resumed at 191-3 on Sunday (December 8), Temba Bavuma (66) and Tristan Stubbs (47) led their charge as they continued at the crease.

David Bedingham added 35 as the hosts took their second-innings total to 317, with only Prabath Jayasuriya's five-wicket haul stopping them in their tracks.

That left Sri Lanka a target of 348, but South Africa took full advantage of the new balls, with Dimuth Karunaratne (1), Pathum Nissanka (18) and Dinesh Chandimal (29) all dismissed.

Angelo Matthews (32) and Kamindu Mendis (35) also went, though an unbroken 83-run stand between Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis steadied the ship to give Sri Lanka hope of completing an almighty turnaround.

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Data Debrief: Jayasuriya into double figures in just 18th Test

Bavuma led by example for South Africa once more, with his fourth successive contribution of 50 or more.

Jayasuriya's five-wicket haul to halt the Proteas' progress was his 10th in just 18 Tests, and his first outside Sri Lanka.

The tourists' hopes are not over yet, but they must create history to level the contest. Indeed, no team has previously completed a chase of more than 271 runs at St George's Oval.