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December 4, 2024
Sri Lanka’s first goal, however, will be to be more competitive than they were in Durban
Sri Lanka’s main aim in the upcoming Test match in Gqeberha is to show more competitiveness than they did in Durban, where they were beaten by 233 runs. Both teams are still vying for a spot in the World Test Championship final, but neither has secured a place yet. For South Africa, the WTC points system doesn’t reward big winning margins, so despite their dominant win in Durban, it only counts as a regular victory. A second win in Gqeberha would greatly enhance their chances of reaching the final.
For Sri Lanka, a win in this match would keep their hopes alive without relying on other results. To qualify for the final, they would also need to defeat Australia 2-0. However, before thinking that far ahead, their priority is to strengthen their batting, which struggled in the first Test. The team has discussed the challenge of facing South Africa’s tall fast bowlers, especially on pitches that offer more bounce than they are used to at home. The coastal conditions in Gqeberha are less bouncy than in the Highveld but have still posed unexpected challenges for the visitors. Sri Lanka will hope the predicted wind and sunshine will help dry the surface, making conditions more favorable for spin bowling.
For South Africa, while their batters were dismissed for just 191 runs in the first innings of the previous Test, they come into this match with Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs in strong form, and Aiden Markram having played a solid innings at Kingsmead. The hosts’ main concern is their bowling attack, with Wiaan Mulder and Gerald Coetzee ruled out. However, they still have their pace spearheads, Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, who combined for 14 wickets in the last Test, with Jansen taking 11 on his own.
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South Africa: WWWWD (last five Tests, most recent first)
Sri Lanka: LWWWL
At 24 years old, Tristan Stubbs’ Test cricket career has been impressive, with two centuries and a fifty in just 11 innings, averaging 43.90. Unlike Temba Bavuma, who was cautious in reaching his century in Kingsmead, Stubbs charged through the 90s with positive intent, despite being dropped on 33. He will be eager to build on his 122-run performance in his first Test in his hometown.
On the other side, Sri Lanka’s fast bowler Lahiru Kumara, known for his speed and aggression, is close to an important personal milestone. Having taken 99 wickets, Kumara is one short of joining an elite group of Sri Lankan bowlers—Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, and Dilhara Fernando—who have all reached 100 Test wickets. For Sri Lanka to level the series, a strong performance from Kumara will be crucial.
South Africa named their XI on match eve, with Ryan Rickelton and Dane Paterson coming in in place of Mulder and Coetzee. That means an extra batter, three seamers and a spinner.*
South Africa: 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Tony de Zorzi, 3 Tristan Stubbs, 4 Temba Bavuma (capt), 5 David Bedingham, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Ryan Rickelton, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Dane Paterson
Sri Lanka is confronted with important choices regarding their bowling attack. Will they opt for a four-fast-bowler strategy, similar to their approach at Lord’s earlier this year? This could be a viable option, especially with Milan Rathnayake offering some batting depth. Additionally, the team is keen to include Oshada Fernando, who has shown impressive form with scores of 122 and 80 for Sri Lanka A in South Africa and an unbeaten 75 at this venue in 2019. The question remains: which player would be left out to accommodate his return?
Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Dimuth Karuanaratne, 2 Pathum Nissanka, 3 Dinesh Chandimal, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Kamindu Mendis, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), 7 Kusal Mendis (wk), 8 Prabath Jayasuriuya/ Milan Rathnayake, 9 Vishwa Fernando, 10 Asitha Fernando, 11 Lahiru Kumara
The pitch was covered with hessian the day before the match to retain moisture, as strong drying winds were expected to pick up in the afternoon. The surface still has substantial grass coverage due to these conditions, with the groundsman yet to decide how much will be trimmed on match morning. A westerly wind is predicted to persist throughout the game, favoring teams that choose to bat first and capitalize on potentially worsening conditions later. Currently, there is no rain expected over the five days of play.
“The way that we stacked up our line-up is that, we believe that with the runs on the board, that gives you enough time to get 20 wickets. It might take us a bit longer. It may not play like Durban. There is a bit more grass on the wicket. I think there will be something in there for our seamers. But if it doesn’t favour our seamers, we do have the spin of Kesh[av Maharaj] to be effective. So we believe that whether it’s the seam, whether it’s the spin, we can still be successful in these conditions.”
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma
“If we compare this cycle with the previous one, we are doing far better. I’m happy with the boys and how they’ve performed. If we don’t get to the final in this cycle, we should be prepared to de even better in the next one.”
Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva
Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for The Wicket Insider, she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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