Port Elizabeth : Sri Lanka will be underdogs when they challenge a resurgent South Africa in a three-Test series starting at St George’s Park tomorrow- but will hope that the traditionally slow pitch in Port Elizabeth will negate South Africa’s strong fast bowling attack.
Even without the injured Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, South Africa’s pace trio of Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott is likely to provide a stiff examination of a Sri Lankan batting line-up which has minimal experience of coping with the kind of pitches that are found outside Asia.
St George’s Park, though, usually has less pace and bounce than South Africa’s other Test venues and the hosts have a relatively modest record there of six wins, four losses and four draws since returning to Test cricket in 1992. It could also provide some assistance for Rangana Herath, Sri Lanka’s veteran left-arm spinner who is likely to be the biggest threat to the South African batsmen. Herath took nine wickets and was man of the match when Sri Lanka gained their only previous Test win in South Africa, in Durban in 2011/12.
South Africa, meanwhile, will be seeking a strong finish to a year in which there have been three different captains of the Test team.
The year started badly with Hashim Amla resigning as captain midway through a losing home series against England.