Proteas move closer to a home victory

Jacques Kallis made a career-best 224 as South Africa battered Sri Lanka to declare on 580-4 on the second day of the series-deciding third and final Test at Newlands.

Jacques Kallis had a career-best 224 to put South Africa on the brink of winning the third and final Test at home against Sri Lanka.
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CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA // Jacques Kallis made a career-best 224 and AB de Villiers 160 not out as South Africa battered Sri Lanka's bowlers to declare on 580-four on the second day of the series-deciding third and final Test at Newlands.

Sri Lanka were 149-two in their first innings at stumps yesterday, trailing by 431 and needing more than their highest total in South Africa just to avoid the follow-on.

Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Sri Lankan captain, hit a dashing 78 before he was caught at deep mid-on off leg-spinner Imran Tahir.

Fellow opener Lahiru Thirimanne was earlier bowled by Morne Morkel for 23 as Sri Lanka set out on the massive task of playing themselves back into the match after Dilshan's decision to send South Africa in backfired spectacularly.

South Africa scored at better than four runs an over and were able to declare in mid-afternoon in an attempt to push for a series-clinching victory.

Kallis earlier celebrated his 150th Test with his best score to spearhead South Africa's rampant batting performance at his home ground. He shared a 192-run partnership with De Villiers, who went on to a 13th Test hundred in a 127-run stand with Jacques Rudolph.