Sri Lanka vs South Africa, 1st ODI: Five players to watch out for

Sri Lanka get no reprieve from the cricketing calendar as, after a busy tour of England and West Indies, they return home to host South Africa for a five-match ODI series and 3 T20 internationals.

The first match will be played in Colombo at the Premadasa Stadium. South Africa have renewed their setup as coach Gary Kirsten’s two-year reign ended at the Champions Trophy. Russell Domingo, who was his assistant coach during the period, has a tough first assignment as Sri Lanka are a formidable force at home. Captain AB De Villiers has a quality squad at his disposal even though experienced campaigners like Dale Steyn, Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith will be missing from action.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, are coming off yet another defeat against India in the final of the Tri-Nation series that was played in the West Indies. Their captain Angelo Mathews is suspended for the first two matches due to poor over rate and hence, 23-year-old Dinesh Chandimal will take the responsibility as the stand-in captain despite the availability of former captains Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.

Tillakaratne Dilshan is likely to make a return to the side after missing the trip to the Caribbean, whereas Morne Morkel’s participation is suspect as he picked up a niggle in the practice game against Board President’s XI.

Here is a list of five players who will play a major role in the contest:

5. JP Duminy

JP Duminy is the only player in the South African squad who has batted in Sri Lankan conditions before. He was a part of all the matches contested between the two teams in the series of 2004. His experience, therefore, will be critical for the Proteas.

He has exhibited great potential with the bat at the top of the order and scored an encouraging knock of 92 of 90 balls in the practice game against Board President’s XI. He can be handy with his slow orthodox left-arm off spin, especially given that South Africa are likely to play with a single spinner.

4. Shaminda Eranga

The Sri Lankan fast bowler has impressed in his brief stint in the international arena so far. He brings some refreshing pace along with the ability to swing the ball – something that Sri Lanka were definitely lacking – and made the desired impact at the latter stages of the Tri-Nation series.

Bowling in the alien conditions of England and West Indies would have been a huge learning curve for him, and he will be more assured now as he plays on his home turf. He will have to fight for his place in the squad with the presence of Suranga Lakmal, but he should get the nod for the first match of the series. The heat and the humidity will be a problem for the South African batsman, but Eranga can add to their troubles with a spell of fine bowling.

3. Kumar Sangakkara

The left-handed batsmen has emerged as the saviour for his side in the last two tournaments. He scored a magnificent knock of 134 against England in the Champions Trophy at a critical stage of the tournament, whereas he stood his ground against the West Indies to steer the team into the final of the Tri-Nation tournament.

The middle order continues to be unreliable as the likes of Lahiru Thirimanne and Dinesh Chandimal have failed to take full advantage of their opportunities. Now that Angelo Mathews is suspended too, the burden of responsibility on the shoulders of Kumar Sangakkara will be even heavier. The South African pace battery is depleted due to the absence of Dale Steyn, but they can still pack a considerable punch. Sangakkara can anchor the innings at the top of the order, allowing the other batsmen to chip in.

2. AB De Villiers

The South African captain has risen to the occasion when the circumstances have been demanding in the last couple of years, and that has catapulted him to the role that he has in this squad. He had a good squad at his disposal, and he can change the otherwise miserable record of South African sides of the past in the island nation.

He will be wearing many hats in the game - wicket-keeper, captain and key middle order batsman of the side. His ability to innovate and work out his way from tricky situations holds him in good stead as a batsman. He was unfortunate in the Champions Trophy, where he could not contribute match-winning scores for his side even though he looked in sublime form. He will be hoping to mend that mistake at the Premadasa.

1. Hashim Amla

The elegant batsman has scored heavily in the shorter format of the game in the last few years. He averages over 55 in 73 appearances, and looked in fine form at the Champions Trophy. He played a match-winning innings in the group stage against Pakistan.

This is his first tour to Sri Lanka and the slow, dry pitches, along with the hot and humid conditions, will pose a new challenge for him. He will be excited by the prospect of getting runs in such conditions, and he has the wherewithal to do so. His role in the batting order will be crucial as some of his team-mates are short of runs. He spent a decent amount of time in the middle in the practice game, and that will give him confidence going into the first leg of the battle.