CENTURION, South Africa Dec 15 (Reuters) – South
Africa won the toss and sent Sri Lanka in to bat on the
first day of the first test at Centurion on Thursday.
A pitch sporting a healthy covering of green grass and
partly-cloudy overhead conditions should provide plenty of
assistance to the pace bowlers on the first morning.
Sri Lanka made three changes to the team that drew their
last test against Pakistan last month and will go into the match
with just one frontline spinner in left-armer Rangana Herath.
Seamers Thisara Perera and Dilhara Fernando come into the
team for Dhammika Prasad and Kosala Kulasekara, while spinner
Suraj Randiv makes way for an extra batsman in the experienced
Thilan Samaraweera.
South Africa are fielding the same side that lost by two
wickets to Australia to end the series in a tie three weeks ago.
Teams
South Africa – Graeme Smith, Jacques Rudolph, Hashim Amla,
Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher,
Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir.
Sri Lanka – Tharanga Paranavitana, Tillakaratne Dilshan,
Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo
Mathews, Kaushal Silva, Rangana Herath, Thisara Perera, Chanaka
Welegedara, Dilhara Fernando.
(Reporting by Ken Borland. Editing by Patrick Johnston. To
query or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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