Categories: Sports

Tougher challenge awaits Sri Lankans in South Africa

Dimuth Karunaratne avoids a bouncer off Australia’s Mitchell Starc during day two of the second Test at Manuka Oval. Saeed KHAN / AFP

Â

If facing Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins were hard, the Sri Lankans will be given a double dose of hostile fast bowling as South Africa’s menacing four pronged attack awaits them. Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, Vernon Philander and Duanne Olivier maybe not as threatening as Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft but to a side whose deficiencies of playing short pitched bowling was badly exposed; the South African challenge will not be a pleasant one.

Â

The national cricket team landed in South Africa yesterday in two batches. The players who were involved in the Test series against Australia flew to Johannesburg from Sydney while the others took a flight from Colombo to the South African capital before flying to the coastal city of Durban where the first Test match will be played.

Â

The Sri Lankans are lucky that the Tests are taking place in the eastern coast with Port Elizabeth scheduled to host the second Test and not the Bull Ring in Johannesburg or Newlands in Cape Town on the western coast, venues where fast bowlers have dominated over the years.

Â

But yet, expect spin to play little role in the series. The Proteas were given dustbowls when they toured Sri Lanka last year and Dimuth Karunaratne’s side can expect a taste of their own medicine.

Â

Dean Elgar, the South African opening batsman during the series in Sri Lanka didn’t face one ball of seam as spin was introduced with the new ball and this time around the tourists can be sure to play little spin over the two Tests.

Â

Both these venues are happy hunting grounds for the Sri Lankans. Their only Test win on South African soil came in Durban eight years ago while they have done quite well in ODIs at Port Elizabeth. St. George’s Park in Port Elizabeth doesn’t offer much bounce as some of the other venues.

Â

The Sri Lankans will also play five ODIs and three T-20 Internationals after the two match Test series before returning home after being on the road for four months. Since December, they have played in New Zealand, Australia and now South Africa and such scheduling has been demanding on the Sri Lankans.

Â

Batsmen who scored heavily in domestic cricket have been called up for national duty and it remains to be seen how they will take on the strong South African side.

Â

The Island’s coverage of Sri Lanka’s cricket tour of Australia is sponsored by Fairfirst Insurance.

Lankanewspapers

Recent Posts

LNP – ‘If we fail to negotiate on US tariffs, we have other options’: Minister on Sri Lanka’s stance

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando…

49 mins ago

LNP – Oil prices fall into negative territory as Trump announces new tariffs

Oil prices fell to negative territory after rising by a dollar in post-settlement trade on…

3 hours ago

LNP – President appoints expert panel to evaluate US tariff impact, propose solutions

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed a high-level committee to analyze the potential economic impact…

3 hours ago

LNP – TN Assembly passes resolution to reclaim Katchatheevu Island from Sri Lanka

The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution urging the Indian government to retrieve…

4 hours ago

LNP – CID arrests trio for altering data to steal Rs. 27 Mn from Ayurvedic Corporation

Three suspects, including two women, were arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for defrauding…

6 hours ago

LNP – Trump announces sweeping global trade tariffs – including 44% on Sri Lanka

United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a sweeping set of reciprocal tariffs, imposing…

11 hours ago