South Africa Dominate Sri Lanka as Bavuma and Stubbs Deliver Centuries

South Africa tightened their grip on the first Test match against Sri Lanka at Kingsmead, with captain Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs scoring centuries to propel their team to a commanding 515-run lead. The match has taken a decisive turn in favor of the hosts, with significant time to spare on the final day.

Bavuma, who has struggled to convert his half-centuries into hundreds, finally broke through for his third century in 60 Test matches. This achievement is especially noteworthy for the 32-year-old Bavuma, who has faced significant pressure to score consistently in the longer format. Bavuma's innings came off 127 deliveries, displaying his improvement as a batsman.

Tristan Stubbs, on the other hand, demonstrated his immense talent and potential as a Test batsman, scoring his second century in just 183 balls. The 24-year-old received a lifeline when a nick from Vishwa Fernando was spilled by Angelo Mathews, and he capitalized on it to score a brilliant ton. Stubbs's remarkable century marked his second in five Test matches, showcasing the immense gulf in class between him and other players.

The second day will likely see Sri Lanka trying to stem the rot and at least portray some semblance of a challenge, but a team already trailing by 515 runs, is facing an uphill task of claiming an unlikely victory. Meanwhile, in Durban, South Africa will look to claim both the finish the innings, more likely than not, leading to an Indian Summer delight of winning the day-night Test prematurely.