LIKE the menace that broods in the harsh lines and unfriendly angles of Galle Fort, South Africa's performance on the second day of the first test against Sri Lanka yesterday was not pretty.

But, also like the fort, SA were rock-solid and imposing and their defences were not easily breached. They built their overnight score of 268/5 before declaring on 455/9 an hour after tea. In the dozen overs Sri Lanka faced before stumps, they reached 30/0.

The fact that Hashim Amla tossed Imran Tahir a ball just eight overs old in the embers of yesterday's play suggests the leg-spinner - as well JP Duminy and Dean Elgar - can look forward to bowling on a responsive surface today.

"The spin is a little slow, but it will spit a bit more in the last two days," Duminy said. He should know, having spent more than four-and-a-half hours, plenty of resolve and all of his talent on scoring an undefeated 100 in conditions that demanded nothing less.

What sapped the Lankans most was the SA lower order's refusal to go gently into that hot afternoon.

"I wasn't really thinking about [the century] until I got to 80 - the partnerships were the most important thing," Duminy said. "Batting at number seven and marshalling the lower order has always been key for me. If I bat for long enough the hundreds will come."

Duminy withstood a merciless sun and airless humidity, but said his biggest challenge was "trying to marshal the partnerships, especially with Morne [Morkel]. Myself and Vernon [Philander] have played together a lot, but it was good to see how Morne applied himself."

The home side would have thought they were in sight of putting their feet up in their dressing room when Quinton de Kock was removed by off-spinner Dilruwan Perera with a delivery that ripped across the left-hander, took the edge and was smartly snared at slip by Mahela Jayawardene.

But Philander, an all-rounder in the making, batted for almost two hours for his 27 and put on 75 with Duminy. Then Morkel showed impressive stickability to stay alive for 22 in a stand that grew to 66. SA batted for more than 11 hours.