South Africa's Dean Elgar misses Centurion ton against weakened Sri Lanka attack

Dean Elgar narrowly missed out on a first Test hundred on his home ground at Centurion as South Africa failed to fully capitalise on Sri Lanka's injury crisis.

The tourists are without all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva, who suffered a thigh injury on the opening day of the first Test - and they suffered a further blow when paceman Kasun Rajitha limped off with a suspected groin problem before lunch on day two.

Elgar and opening partner Aiden Markram initially profited from Sri Lanka's depleted attack as they put together a 141 partnership in response to a total of 396-9, boosted by a maiden Test half-century for Dasun Shanaka.

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Sri Lanka struck back with a flurry of wickets - including that of Elgar for 95 - but the home side regained the initiative through an unbroken stand of 97 between Faf du Plessis and Temba Bavuma, eventually closing on 317-4, just 79 behind.

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Shanaka (66 not out) immediately set out his intentions when Sri Lanka resumed on 340-6, hooking Lungi Ngidi for six in the second over of the day and then dispatching Anrich Nortje for another maximum to bring up his half-century.

With Nortje thrashed over point for six more later in the over, Sri Lanka appeared set for a total in excess of 400 until Lutho Sipamla returned to break the partnership of 67 with two wickets in as many deliveries.

The seamer (4-76) persuaded Rajitha (12) to fish at one outside off stump, with Elgar taking the slip catch, and his next ball was a beauty that castled Vishwa Fernando to leave Sri Lanka 387-8.

There was still time for Shanaka to pull Sipamla for yet another six before last man Lahiru Kumara (0) hung out the bat and Rassie van der Dussen's juggling act at second slip brought the innings to a close.

Sri Lanka's hopes of making early inroads were dented as their attack - already shorn of Dhananjaya, who will play no further part in the series - was further diminished by the loss of Rajitha at the start of the sixth over.

With the bowlers struggling to contain, Markram cashed in, playing shots all around the wicket and reaching his half-century from 64 balls as he and Elgar raced along at close to five an over.

Elgar took a particular liking to leg-spinning debutant Wanindu Hasaranga, forcing him off the back foot for successive boundaries and flicking the next ball behind square for another four that took him to 50.

Fernando was the lone bowler to maintain some degree of control and he gained some reward half an hour before tea, tempting Markram (68) into a drive that flew straight to Shanaka at gully.

Despite that, South Africa looked comfortable at 200-1 - but then Kumara had Van der Dussen (15) caught behind, nibbling outside off stump, and five balls later Shanaka snapped up a return catch from Elgar.

Quinton de Kock played aggressively, rattling up 18 from 11 balls but, when he edged to slip to become Hasaranga's first Test victim, the Proteas had lost three wickets in the space of 25 deliveries.

After a slow start, though, Du Plessis (55no) began to step it up and he notched his 22nd Test half-century shortly before stumps, with Bavuma (41no) alongside him.

Watch day three of the first Test between South Africa and Sri Lanka, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 7.55am on Monday.