CENTURION, South Africa, Dec 25, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – South Africa and Sri
Lanka will end a lengthy Covid-induced break from Test cricket when the first
of two world championship Test matches starts at SuperSport Park in Centurion
on Saturday.
Neither side has played a red-ball international since January, when South
Africa finished 3-1 losers in a home series against England while Sri Lanka
were winning a two-match series 1-0 in Zimbabwe.
Sri Lanka can call on most of the players who shocked the Proteas by
winning both Tests on their previous tour of South Africa two seasons ago.
On paper, South Africa are weaker than they were in that previous series
with their entire fast bowling attack of Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, Vernon
Philander and Duanne Olivier missing through retirement, injury or, in the
case of Olivier, the lure of the British pound.
The Sri Lanka series also marked the end of the distinguished Test career
of batsman Hashim Amla.
There has been a change of captaincy, with Faf du Plessis having resigned,
although he remains as a player.
Wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, South Africa’s leading Test batsman last
season, has accepted what amounts to a caretaker role for the 2020/21 season
only.
De Kock’s appointment has echoes of that of Dimuth Karunaratne, the Sri
Lankan opening batsman, who was announced as a “stand-in” captain for the
2018/19 tour but did such a good job of instilling a positive attitude in his
players that he has remained at the helm.
Conditions, though, will be significantly different, with the matches being
played on the fast, bouncy pitches of Centurion and Johannesburg instead of
the slower, coastal surfaces in Durban and Port Elizabeth where Sri Lanka
prevailed last time.
Despite having a completely different fast bowling attack, South Africa’s
bowlers will present a tough challenge to the visiting batsmen.
Anrich Nortje is one of the fastest bowlers in the world, while Lungi Ngidi
has returned to form after a series of injuries.
Glenton Stuurman could win a first cap as a like-for-like replacement for
the naggingly accurate Philander.
Key for Sri Lanka will be the expected return of Kusal Perera.
The left-hander played a career-defining innings when he made 153 not out
in the first Test in Durban on the previous tour, turning what seemed likely
to be a routine South African win into a thrilling one-wicket victory for the
tourists, sealed with an unbeaten last wicket stand of 78 with Vishwa
Fernando.
Before that innings, Perera had a Test batting average below 30. He was
unable to sustain his Durban form and was dropped after a poor series against
New Zealand later in 2019.
Possible teams:
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (captain, wkt), Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram,
Rassie van der Dussen, Faf du Plessis, Temba Bavuma, Dwaine Pretorius or
Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Glenton Stuurman, Lungi Ngidi.
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Perera,
Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella
(wkt), Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Embuldeniya, plus two from Vishwa Fernando,
Lahiru Kumara, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha.
Umpires: Marais Erasmus, Adrian Holdstock (both RSA)
TV umpire: Allahudien Paleker (RSA)