South Africa seek step up in Sri Lanka Test

South African fast bowler Vernon Philander struck twice as Sri Lanka struggled on the first day of the first Test at SuperSport Park on Thursday. Sri Lanka were 76 for three after being sent in on a green pitch which offered bounce and movement to the South African fast bowlers. The tourists lost their first two wickets for 12 runs before Tharanga Paranavitana (32) and Mahela Jayawardene (23 not out) put on 54 for the third wicket. Philander took two for 30, taking a wicket in both of his two spells. Sri Lankan captain Tillekeratne Dilshan played a poor shot in the fifth over to present Dale Steyn with his 250th Test wicket, driving at a ball that was slightly short of a length and scooping a simple catch to mid-wicket. Steyn achieved the milestone in his 49th Test, one match more than Australia's Dennis Lillee, the fastest to reach the mark. He moved ahead of Allan Donald, now the South African bowling coach, who took 50 matches to take 250 wickets. Three balls later Kumar Sangakkara was out for one, caught by Jacques Kallis at second slip off a ball from Philander which lifted and seamed away from the left-hander. The left-handed Paranavitana and the experienced Jayawardene dug in, with Paranavitana showing character as he shrugged off a blow on the helmet from Morne Morkel and one on the shoulder from Philander. Paranavitana fell to a full length ball from Philander which swung between bat and pad shortly before lunch after facing 67 balls and hitting four boundaries.