South Africa have never lost a Test at home to Sri Lanka, with the Proteas boasting an excellent record at SuperSport Park
South Africa take on Sri Lanka in the first of three Tests on Thursday looking to build on their drawn series with Australia. The Sri Lankans have not enjoyed the best of times over the past 12 months but they now have a chance to end the year on a high (South Africa 2/5, Sri Lanka 8/1, draw 3/1 with
Betfred).
If statistics told the whole story then there would be little point in playing this Test or indeed the series, as Sri Lanka have never won a Test in South Africa and have lost all three that they have played in Centurion. Add to that the fact that Tillakaratne Dilshan’s men last won a five-day match back in July 2010 and have not won a Test series for more than two years and it all adds up to a crushing victory for the Proteas.
South Africa are particularly good at SuperSport Park with 12 victories, three draws and just a solitary defeat at the venue and they will be confident of continuing that trend in the opening Test. The groundsman has already made it clear that he has prepared a pitch to suit the hosts’ attack and so to say that Sri Lanka are up against it would be an understatement.
The one thing in the Asians’ favour is that they do not get beaten too often, losing three and drawing six of their Tests in 2011, but a defeat in each series means they have lost all three.
It is no coincidence that their fall down the pecking order has coincided with the retirement of Muttiah Muralitharan, as he carried the side for years with his mesmeric brand of off-spin. They have yet to find anyone to replace the great man and it is high time that Ajantha Mendis stepped up to the plate and delivered, as he is now over his injury problems and needs to make a significant contribution.
The Sri Lankans have always relied heavily on their top order for runs and the big three of Kumar Sangakkara, Mahele Jayawardene and Dilshan will, again, need to score heavily if they are to have any chance of winning this Test and any of the subsequent matches in Durban and Cape Town (Sangakkara 11/4 Top Sri Lanka Batsman 1st Test).
All-rounder Angelo Mathews has done well in recent Tests and is developing into a reliable middle-order batsmen and he will need to be at his best against one of the best attacks in world cricket. Tharanga Paranavitana is likely to open the innings and will have to better his average of 35 in the series to give the visitors the start they need against such a hostile pace attack.
Dale Steyn is peerless among fast bowlers around the globe and will be well backed up by Morne Morkel, but there is an abundance of talent waiting in the wings with Vernon Philander taking his chance to shine against the Aussies. Imran Tahir is a more-than-capable leg-spinner and, with Jacques Kallis still going strong with both bat and ball, it is an attack to worry any side, let alone one devoid of confidence and without a win in nearly 18 months.
The recent drawn series with Australia showed both sides of the South Africans as they were dismissed cheaply in the first innings at Cape Town, before destroying Michael Clarke’s men for just 47 and knocking the runs off with ease.
Graeme Smith is still a class act at the top of the order but the man who has made the most difference to the home side is Hashim Amla, who has developed into a superb batsman in all forms of the game. The 31-year-old has scored three centuries in his last nine Test innings and now averages more than 47 in the longest version of the sport. He appears to be an unflappable character and will surely score heavily against one of the weaker attacks in world cricket (Amla 100/30 Top S African Batsman 1st Test).
Kallis refuses to retire and is still one of the best batsmen around aged 36 and an average approaching 57 proves how valuable he is to the Proteas. AB de Villiers can boast a similar average to Kallis and completes a very solid top five, with Jacques Rudolph still finding his feet back in international cricket at the top of the order.
This match and the series looks a mismatch on paper and it will take a monumental effort for Sri Lanka to avoid defeat in all three Tests – and that might be the best they can hope for.
