JP Duminy struck an unbeaten 72 to pull South Africa to 8-414 at tea on Thursday’s second day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
The left-handed batsman overcame a slow start and helped steady the innings after the visitors lost three wickets since resuming at 5-268.
Morne Morkel (nine) was the other not-out batsman when tea was taken.
The Sri Lankan bowlers toiled in hot and humid conditions until tasting their first breakthrough of the post-lunch session with Vernon Philander’s wicket.
Philander (27) was adjudged lbw off skipper Angelo Mathews but the batsman asked for a review as he felt the ball had hit him high on the pads. However, Hawk Eye upheld the on-field umpire’s call.
He faced 96 balls and shared 75 runs for the eighth wicket with Duminy who had hit seven fours in his 154-ball innings.
Duminy defied the attack, driving Mathews through the extra-cover boundary to take South Africa past the 400 mark.
The morning session belonged to Quinton de Kock who hit a maiden Test 50 after resuming the day on 17.
The rookie batsman, playing his second Test after debuting in February, hit six fours in his promising 90-ball innings.
De Kock, who scored a match-winning 128 in the recent third and final one-dayer against Sri Lanka in Hambantota, continued his form, negotiating both the pacemen and spinners with ease.
A smashing cover-drive off slow bowler Dilruwan Perera (3-147) and another through point that raced to the boundary were the highlights of his innings.
But Perera sent back De Kock with a sharp turning delivery that the batsman edged to the slips to give Mahela Jayawardene his 198th Test catch.
Sri Lanka did well to contain the visitors, especially since they were one bowler short with a split webbing almost ruling out pace spearhead Shaminda Eranga from the rest of the game.
Eranga had bowled just nine overs when he hurt his bowling hand while fielding on day one. The injury required eight stitches, according to Sri Lankan media officials.
The second and final Test will be played in Colombo from July 24-28.
