Nissanka leads strong Sri Lanka reply after Verreynne century boosts South Africa

GQEBERHA, South Africa (AP) — Opener Pathum Nissanka led Sri Lanka to 242-3 in reply to South Africa's bonus 358 on day two Friday of the second test at St George's Park.

Nissanka's 89 easily shone in a steady effort by the top order to reduce the deficit to 116 runs by stumps.

Unbeaten in the middle were Angelo Mathews, on 40 after becoming the third Sri Lankan man to pass 8,000 test runs, and Kamindu Mendis, on 30.

South Africa started the day on 269-7 and Kyle Verreynne on 48. The prospect of reaching 300 looked difficult with the tail exposed and Sri Lanka brandishing the second new ball.

But Verreynne was brilliantly supported by fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Dane Paterson to get the Proteas to a competitive 358, of which an unbeaten 105 was his.

Sri Lanka was routed for 42 in its first bat last week in Durban and did well against a seaming ball in Gqeberha to not lose its first wicket until 41 was on the board.

Dimuth Karunaratne nicked Rabada behind for 20. Nissanka should have gone to Rabada, too, on 22 but he was dropped by David Bedingham.

Nissanka and Dinesha Chandimal reached tea at 103-1 but both were dismissed in the last session.

Chandimal nicked Paterson behind after 44 off 97 balls. Paterson was 1-21 off 11 overs at one stage but he tired and started over-stepping.

Nissanka used his life to reach 50 off 107 balls, his seventh test fifty behind two centuries. But he gave his wicket away on 89 off 157 when he charged at spinner Keshav Maharaj and missed.

Mendis joined Mathews, whose sixth boundary over mid-off gave him 8,000 test runs, a Sri Lanka men's club including only Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.

At the start of the day, South Africa wasn't expected to last much longer. Especially when Maharaj, who has five test fifties, was out without scoring to the 10th ball of the day.

Rabada, who has a high score of 47, then had his bat smashed by Lahiru Kumara, but he used the replacement to hit boundaries off Kumara and Vishwa Fernando to help the Proteas get to 300.

Verreynne wasn't rushed but when Asitha Fernando tried the short ball, he hit him to the boundary three times in the same over.

Kumara also threw short balls and Rabada swatted him twice to the fence.

Their ninth-wicket stand of 56 off 76 stopped when Rabada was bowled by Asitha Fernando's nip-backer after three bouncers.

Rabada went for 23 off 40. Verreynne was on 81 when last man Paterson came in with a high score of 39 on the same ground in 2020.

Verreynne tried to hog the strike, not entirely successfully, and went after the bowlers. The next balls he faced went dot-6-1-6-1-6 and he had his third test century, and second in six weeks. His excitement was capped by bowing to his teammates.

He and Paterson added 33 off 17 balls for the last wicket when Paterson popped up and out.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

South Africa's Kyle Verreynne takes a bow in front of the players pavilion after scoring a century during the second day of the second test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at St George's Park in Gqeberha, South Africa, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

South Africa's Kyle Verreynne celebrates after scoring a century during the second day of the second test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at St George's Park in Gqeberha, South Africa, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka, right, makes a run as South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma, tries to field off the ball during the second day of the second Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at St George's Park in Gqeberha, South Africa, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka, left, plays a side shot as South Africa's Kyle Verreynne watches on during the second day of the second Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at St George's Park in Gqeberha, South Africa, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)