South Africa look for series win

Dilshan confident of Chandimal’s recovery:

Stung by a shock defeat in the second Test in Durban, South Africa will have to overcome a confident Sri Lankan team to gain an elusive series win in the third and final Test starting at Newlands Tuesday. Unlike the case with Durban, where South Africa have now lost four matches in a row, history is on the home team’s side at Newlands.

South Africa have won five of their last seven matches at the ground, although their two most recent New Year Tests against England and India were drawn.

After winning the first Test at Centurion by an innings and 81 runs, South Africa seemed set to break a sequence of four successive home series which they have failed to win, especially as the Sri Lankans were written off as a weak side.

Among the critics was former South African captain Kepler Wessels, who suggested before the series that the home selectors could afford to experiment against a side which he believed did not offer adequate opposition.

Sri Lankan captain Tillekeratne Dilshan had a tongue-in-cheek dig at Wessels after the 208-run Durban win.

Petersen plays at the expense of Ashwell Prince with Jacques Rudolph dropping down the order after opening in the first two Tests. Despite taking seven for 81 in the first innings in Durban, fast bowling discovery Marchant de Lange makes way for Philander.

After their historic win in Durban, which has been acclaimed as one of the country’s greatest Test achievements, Sri Lanka are unlikely to make changes, with almost all their players having made a contribution to the team effort at Kingsmead.

Dilshan said Sri Lanka had won the second Test because they adhered to a game plan.

“We will stick to basics and try to finish strongly,” he said.

Dilshan said he was confident wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal, who hit two half-centuries on debut in Durban, would be fully recovered after being hit on the elbow in the nets Sunday.

AFP