Will changes boost Proteas?
Altus Momberg, Die Burger
Colombo - Some changes will certainly be made to the South African cricket team before the second Test against Sri Lanka starts here on Friday.
Whether it will make any difference remains an open question.
Shaun Pollock, one of the Proteas' most experienced players, will be back and Boeta Dippenaar may also get an opportunity to show what he can do.
The Proteas were dismissed for 434 runs in their second innings 76 minutes after lunch on Monday, losing the first Test by an innings and 153 runs.
Mickey Arthur, the coach, said afterwards that they would decide during the next few days which changes to make.
He did confirm, however, that Pollock would play after missing the first Test to be at his wife's side during the birth of their second daughter.
With Andrew Hall expected to be retained as opening batsman, seamer André Nel will probably make way for Pollock.
Dale Steyn conceded a lot of runs in the first Test but was the only South African bowler who looked capable of taking wickets.
In the batting department, selection will be tough.
Herschelle Gibbs is the most experienced batsman in the team but still seems uncomfortable at the wicket.
Gibbs has shown no improvement
After some disappointing performances, Gibbs lost his place in the South African team for the series against New Zealand last season. He showed no improvement in the warm-up match and the first Test and it could be asked whether he should not make room for Dippenaar.
It is unlikely that these changes will narrow the gap between the teams. In these conditions, the Sri Lankans are in a different class to the Proteas.
Ashwell Prince, who is standing in as captain for the injured Graeme Smith, said on Monday the South Africans had played better as the match progressed.
They could, however, not make up for their poor performance on the first day when, in the most batsman-friendly conditions they will probably ever experience, they were dismissed for 169 runs.
"We have done some tough talking about that performance," Prince said. "The pitch could not be blamed for even a single wicket we lost. There was hardly any sideways movement, nor uneven bounce. The guys threw away their wickets."
Mahela Jayawardene, who was chosen as Player of the Match after his record score of 374, said he was glad he did not win the toss.
"It was a good toss to lose. There was something in the track during the first few hours on the first day and we used it," the Sri Lankan caretaker captain said.
The second and last Test of the series starts at the P Saravanamuttu Stadium on Friday. Thereafter, South Africa, Sri Lanka and India will play in a one-day series that starts on August 14.
News source: www.news24.co.za
Posted by: www.SouthAfrica-CarHire.com
