South African batsman Hashim Amla plays a shot during the third Test between South Africa and Sri Lanka on January 12, 2017 at Wanderers Cricket Stadium in Johannesburg. (AFP / MARCO LONGARI)
JOHANNESBURG: Hashim Amla and JP Duminy put on a brisk unbeaten third-wicket stand of 148 to guide South Africa to 193 for two wickets at tea on day one of the third and final test against Sri Lanka at The Wanderers on Thursday.
Out-of-form Amla, playing in his 100th test, was dropped on five just before lunch and rode that piece of luck to move on to 50 not out, leaving Duminy to play the role of enforcer with an unbeaten 87.
Having resumed after lunch with the score on 79, the pair upped the tempo and scored 114 runs in the session at close to four runs an over as the Sri Lankan bowlers wilted on a wicket with plenty of movement and bounce, and under overcast skies.
It is the first time that Amla has passed 50 in 11 test innings, ending a wretched run of form for the 33-year-old.
South Africa had won the toss and elected to bat but lost openers Stephen Cook (10) and Dean Elgar (27) to the tricky early morning conditions.
The pair had battled their way to 45 after an hour before both fell at the same score.
Cook was plumb leg before wicket to visiting captain Angelo Mathews in the 16th over, wasting a review.
Five balls later, Elgar chased a wide ball from teenage seamer Lahiru Kumara and with little foot movement, edged the ball to Dimuth Karunaratne at first slip.
South Africa handed a debut to 24-year-old seamer Duane Olivier, the leading wicket-taker in domestic four-day cricket, in place of spinner Keshav Maharaj.
All-rounder Wayne Parnell was also called up to replace seamer Kyle Abbott following the latter's decision to take up a Kolpak contract with Hampshire.
Sri Lanka are unchanged, and Mathews said he would have bowled had he won the toss.
Amla is the eighth South African to mark a century of tests.
"He has been the most consistent player, with Jacques Kallis, that South Africa has ever had," captain Faf du Plessis said in tribute.
"I think he has had two lean patches in his career. Although he isn't scoring as many runs at the moment, what he brings off the field still offers a lot."
South Africa hold an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
