Kagiso Rabada backed up Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis’ statement that he’s going to be the leader of the attack with a fine spell in the second session of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Thursday.
The 23-year-old quick, the No 1 ranked Test bowler, claimed two wickets in three balls as the hosts struggled to 161/6 after rain brought an early tea interval.
Rabada began his second spell with a perfect dismissal of Sri Lankan batting talisman Angelo Mathews, who edged a delivery outside off, before roughing up Roshen Silva with a brute of a short ball, smartly snapped up by Aiden Markram at short leg.
He finished the session with figures of 3/35.
Left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi (2/30) continued his good form with two victims, supporting Rabada well.
The evergreen Dale Steyn also moved to within two wickets of the South African Test record, claiming a 420th scalp.
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne was the mainstay of the Sri Lankan batting with an unbeaten 80.
Teams
Sri Lanka: Suranga Lakmal (capt), Dimuth Karunaratne, Danushka Gunathilaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Roshen Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath, Lakshan Sandakan
South Africa: Faf du PLessis (capt), Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wk), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn