Klusener Appointed Dolphins Interim Coach

South Africa domestic news

Firdose Moonda

January 25, 2012

Lance Klusener, the former South Africa allrounder, has been appointed interim coach of the Dolphins, the Durban-based franchise, until the end of the 2011-12 season. Klusener replaces Graham Ford, who resigned with immediate effect last week and has been confirmed as Sri Lanka's new coach.

Klusener, best remembered for his Man-of-the-Series performance in the 1999 World Cup, retired from international cricket in 2004 and has since had a range of cricket-related work. He has a Level 3 coaching qualification and has been involved with age-group sides at the Dolphins for the last three years. He has also worked with the South African High Performance Program and assisted the South Africa A side.

"Being a former Dolphin, I am very proud of my team and want to be part of the process of rebuilding the team to its rightful place as South Africa's No. 1 franchise," Klusener said.

The Dolphins have not won a trophy since they shared the SuperSport Series in the 2004-05 season, and are targetting the upcoming domestic Twenty20 competition as an opportunity for silverware. They have contracted Chris Gayle for the series and had also lined up Australia quick Shaun Tait, but he pulled out with an elbow injury.

"We are still focused on the T20 competition," Faeez Jaffer, the Dolphins president, said. "With Lance's vast experience at our disposal, we believe that our players will be challenged and want to perform. Lance also has first-hand knowledge of the dynamics and makeup of our team."

Jesse Chellan, the Dolphins chief-executive, told ESPNcricinfo that the franchise is still looking for another big-name player.

The mid-season change of coach has not affected the Dolphins team, Chellan said. The senior players filled the gap and have been organising and running team practices. "Team leadership stepped in and everything has been running well," Chellan said.

The Dolphins will soon undertake a formal process to recruit a new head coach for the start of next season.

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Somerset Sign Albie Morkel For Twenty20 Season

County news

ESPNcricinfo staff

January 25, 2012

Somerset have signed Albie Morkel, the South Africa allrounder, as one of their overseas players for this year's Friends Life t20 campaign. Another South African, Roelof van der Merwe, who played for Somerset in last year's Friends Life t20 and in the Champions League T20, had been expected to join the county from the start of June, from the Friends Life t20 onwards; but difficulties in obtaining a work permit for him led Somerset to seek an alternative.

Morkel, who has scored 2285 runs and taken 131 wickets in Twenty20 cricket, as well as played in 31 Twenty20 internationals, will join Chris Gayle as Somerset's overseas signings for the Friends Life t20. Somerset have finished as runners-up in England's domestic T20 competition in each of the last three seasons.

"The club has signed Albie Morkel from South Africa as our second overseas player for the T20 competition this season," Somerset's director of cricket Brian Rose said. "Albie is an immensely gifted cricketer and especially exciting one-day player, and fits in well with our setup in the T20. The combination of Gayle and Morkel is a mouth-watering prospect for our supporters."

Rose said that visa problems had delayed Somerset's signing of van der Merwe and bringing in another player for the latter stages of the season would become a priority, should the left-arm spinner fail to get clearance.

"As we went through the detailed paperwork process it became apparent that Roelof van der Merwe was highly unlikely to be granted a work permit due to current Home Office legislation, though the door remains open for him at Somerset if the situation can be resolved," Rose said. "In the event of Roelof being unable to gain Home Office clearance in time for this season, I will be actively looking for an overseas replacement for July, August and September."

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Justin Ontong Recalled in South African Limited-Overs Squads For New Zealand Tour

South Africa in New Zealand 2012

ESPNcricinfo staff

January 25, 2012

Justin Ontong, the Cape Cobras allrounder, has been included in South Africa's squads for the one-day and Twenty20 international series in New Zealand in February. Graeme Smith has been left out of the Twenty20 side, and another Cobras batsman Richard Levi will open with Hashim Amla in the format. JP Duminy was chosen ahead of Ashwell Prince in the Test squad, which also includes Robin Peterson in place of Paul Harris.

Marchant de Lange, who took seven wickets in an innings on Test debut against Sri Lanka, was selected for his first tour and was named in the Test and T20 squads. Jacques Kallis and Dale Steyn were rested for the Twenty20 series.

Ontong hasn't been part of a South Africa squad since the 2009 World Twenty20 in England, where he did not play a game. The last time he played for the country was in March 2009, a T20 match against Australia. However, Ontong averaged 72 in this season's 1-Day Cup, South Africa's List A competition, and 76 in the SuperSport Series, the first-class tournament. He played some crucial knocks in the 1-Day Cup, with his three half-centuries all coming at close to a run a ball, and he helped take the Cobras over the line in the final with an unbeaten 37 off 28 balls.

"Ontong fully deserves this latest call-up," Andrew Hudson, Cricket South Africa's selection convener, said. "He has shown outstanding domestic form this season and I believe he has developed into a more mature cricketer. His finishing ability was a key factor in the Cobras' success in winning the 1-Day Cup.

"He is the complete limited-overs package, being a fine batsman who will strengthen our fielding disciplines and also give us another bowling option.

"We have decided to try out some exciting new options in the T20 squad such as Levi, Ontong and de Lange. There are only 11 matches left in this format before we travel to Sri Lanka for the ICC World Twenty20 and this is really the last chance to explore the talent we have at our disposal. Having AB de Villiers fit again for T20 action also gives us a lot more flexibility and better balance."

South Africa will play three Twenty20s in New Zealand, five against Zimbabwe at home and three more in England before the World Twenty20. An ICC trophy is the one thing noticeable by its absence in the South African cabinet and one of coach Gary Kirsten's foremost priorities is to change that.

Smith's exclusion from the squad suggests he is not in the plans for the World Twenty20. Instead, it looks like Levi, who made an impression at last year's Champions League T20 and was the third highest run-scorer in the 2010-11 Pro20 competition, will be groomed. Rusty Theron, who is renowned for his death bowling, has also been given another chance.

Albie Morkel keeps his place in the limited-overs squad. He was not included in the original squad for the ODIs against Sri Lanka, but was called up as a replacement for Dean Elgar ahead of the first ODI. He was only required to score quick runs down the order and did not take any wickets in the series.

Rory Kleinveldt and Elgar, who were both selected for the ODI series against Sri Lanka, were not considered because of injury. Kleinveldt did not play in the series and sustained a quadricep injury after the first match in Paarl. Elgar hurt his knee in the field in a SuperSport Series match and was forced to withdraw from the squad before the series started.

South Africa Twenty20 Squad: AB de Villiers (capt), Hashim Amla (vc), Johan Botha, Marchant de Lange, JP Duminy, Colin Ingram, Richard Levi, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Justin Ontong, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Rusty Theron, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

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Afridi and Razzaq will not Participate in South Africa's T20 Competition

South Africa T20 series

Firdose Moonda

January 23, 2012

Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq will not travel to play in South Africa's domestic 20-over competition. The Pakistan duo was signed up by the Johannesburg-based Lions franchise, whose chief executive Cassim Docrat confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that neither will participate in the tournament.

National duty will keep Afridi away from The Wanderers. Pakistan play four ODIs and three T20s against England between February 13 and 27. Afridi will then play two matches for the Dhaka Gladiators in the Bangladesh Premier League and will likely also be involved in the Asia Cup which is scheduled for March 12 to 22. The South African tournament runs over six weeks from February 15 which will clash with both these events.

Razzaq recently had a shoulder injury which kept him out of Pakistan's end-of-year tour to Bangladesh. He played for the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League, alongside Afridi, but has not been performing to standard. He scored 42 runs in six matches and took two wickets for a bloated 123 runs. Docrat said the decision was taken from the Lions side not to pursue the engagement with Razzaq.

The withdrawal of the Pakistan pair leaves the South African competition with just one of its four major signings. Shaun Tait, the Australia fast bowler, pulled out of the Durban-based Dolphins squad two weeks ago with an elbow injury. Only Chris Gayle is still confirmed, for the Dolphins, though there was some speculation about his availability following his hefty deal with the Bangladesh Premier League.

Gayle was bought for US$ 551,000 by Barisal and will only play a handful of matches in Dhaka. The amount he is being paid by the BPL is reportedly eight times more than the Dolphins are dishing out for him but they have received a guarantee from Gayle's management.

"When I saw that he was involved in the Bangladesh Premier League I called his agent to see if it would affect his South African deal," Jesse Chellan, chief executive of the Dolphins said. "His agent has assured us that he will be available for the full campaign. He is due to arrive on February 16."

The Dolphins are still searching for a replacement for Tait. Chellan said the BPL has "hampered us," in the search to find suitable foreign players. Kieron Pollard and Sohail Tanvir were also on the radar of some South African franchises but have both been contracted by the BPL.

The Lions are close to signing Dirk Nannes while the Cobras and Titans have secured the services of Owais Shah and Alfonso Thomas respectively. One of the other names mentioned is that of Dwayne Bravo, who was not picked up at the BPL.

The six South African franchises are allowed to contract two foreign players each. The yet-to-be-named to seventh franchise, which will be announced this week and will comprise of the best semi-professional cricketers in the country, will be allowed four. However, with the prospects thinning out it seems likely that the tournament will be without the glam factor that a foreign contingent brings, leaving the competition at risk of being the lowest in profile among its counterparts.

The IPL leads the pack but T20 competitions in other countries have followed suit. The BBL, the BPL and even Zimbabwe's Stanbic T20 featured some of the games marquee 20-over cricketers while South Africa's does not even have a name or a sponsor yet.

The ongoing bonus scandal has kept corporates away from CSA over the past summer. They played the T20s and one-day series against Australia without a backer and secured cooking oil manufacturer Sunfoil ahead of the two Tests. Sunfoil have stayed on for the Sri Lanka series and extended their agreement to include the one-day series.

Standard Bank sponsored the 20-over competition since its inception but pulled out at the end of last season when they cancelled all their sports sponsorships. CSA are still in negotiations for a replacement but the recent resignation of their commercial manager, Richard Glover, has set them further back. With the competition little over three weeks away, the possibility of the tournament being funded entirely by CSA is looming.

A source close to CSA said the body can handle the costs "for now," although the format of the 20-over competition was altered to cater for a specific sponsor. A seventh franchise was included and the teams will play a double-round of fixtures instead of just one match against each of the other teams as was previously the case. "At least CSA have stuck to the new format and have not downgraded the event just because there is no sponsor yet," the source said.

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Philander Awarded with National Contract

South Africa news

ESPNcricinfo staff

January 21, 2012

Vernon Philander, the South African fast bowler, has been awarded a national contract in recognition of his strong start to his Test career this summer. In four home Tests, Philander has taken 30 wickets, with four five-wicket hauls, including a match-best of 10 for 102 against Sri Lanka at Centurion.

His 5 for 15 on debut was mainly responsible for Australia being bundled out for 47 at Newlands.

"Vernon has been an outstanding asset for the Proteas' squad this summer and his successes have been well documented," said Cricket South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola.

"The awarding of a contract is well deserved and also gives the team management the tools to manage his workload correctly as the Proteas embark on a very busy international year that includes away tours to New Zealand, England and Australia as well as the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka."

At the end of a meeting of CSA's board of directors, it was decided that South Africa will play five Twenty20 internationals in Zimbabwe in June before their tour of England. The team would have played 11 Twenty20 internationals in the build-up to the ICC World Twenty20, including three each in New Zealand and England.

The board accepted a recommendation from Majola to have a workshop to review the structure of the domestic professional competitions.

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David Miller Retained By Kings XI Punjab For IPL 2012

Indian Premier League 2012

ESPNcricinfo staff

January 21, 2012

David Miller, the South Africa middle-order batsman, has been retained by Kings XI Punjab ahead of the fifth season of the IPL, and given a two-year contract. Miller had joined Kings XI as a replacement for Dimitri Mascarenhas last season but did not play a game. He has been on the fringes of the South Africa ODI and Twenty20 side, and scored a half-century against Australia in the October 2011 series.

Teams who signed replacement players last season have first rights to their services this season, provided they can come to an agreement with the player on the price. Had Miller not been retained by Kings XI he would have gone into the mix for the February 4 auction. Kings XI sold Dinesh Karthik to the Mumbai Indians earlier in the transfer window, which closed on January 20, and have brought in R Sathish and Miller to bolster the batting.

Miller has never played an IPL match, but averages 31.30 in Twenty20s for his South African franchise the Dolphins with a strike-rate of 127.75. English county Durham signed him to play in the 2011 Friends Life t20, and he scored 212 runs at an average of 26.50.

After being drafted into the South Africa team as a 20 year old in 2010, Miller was left out of the squad for the 2011 World Cup. He received a recall for the home ODIs and Twenty20 internationals against Australia, but despite his half-century did not even figure in the squad for the series against Sri Lanka.

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I Made a Few Tactical Errors - AB de Villiers

South Africa v Sri Lanka, 4th ODI, Kimberley

Firdose Moonda in Kimberley

January 21, 2012

AB de Villiers' bright start as South Africa's limited-overs captain has hit a speed bump and it did so in embarrassing fashion for a man who prides himself on professionalism, athleticism and commitment to the cause.

South Africa put on a barely believable and sometimes-comical fielding display, mixing terrific catches like Alviro Petersen's leap on the boundary to dismiss Kumar Sangakkara with horrible gaffes such as Morne Morkel's drop of Angelo Mathews. "We weren't great in the field today," de Villiers said. "We created a few chances that we didn't take."

Usually energetic and committed in the field, South Africa appeared frantic and pressured as Sri Lanka built confidently during their chase of 300. Dinesh Chandimal and Thisara Perera attacked bad balls and ran well between the wickets, although they had one mix-up that could have had either of them dismissed. de Villiers said being under that sort of pressure had tested his ability to use his bowlers, and he felt he could have done it better.

"I needed to take a few chances because we needed wickets and I thought the bowlers did really well on a good pitch. But I made a few tactical errors and used the wrong bowlers at the wrong time."

The decision to keep the spinners on against a fluent Perera was one such strategic mistake. "I thought the spinner could get us one," he said. "We tried to bounce him but the ball wouldn't come up. It was one of those pitches where it was not very easy to take wickets. We tried slower balls. I tried every single bowler in the team."

Wickets were always going to be hard to come by on a flat pitch, and de Villiers admitted South Africa had actually lost the game with the bat. After a speedy start, they were well placed to score over 300, but had to settle for 299 for 7. They lost four wickets for 47 runs and their lower-middle order was unable to score as freely as de Villiers had against a regrouped Sri Lankan attack that bowled with discipline.

de Villiers accepted full responsibility for South Africa's slowdown towards the end of their innings. "We should have got to 330 but I got out at a very bad stage. We needed a partnership there."

de Villiers was bowled for 96 by a Perera slower ball in the 41st over with South Africa on 250 for 5. Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson and Vernon Philander are capable of big hitting but were forced to play a more watchful game. South Africa scored only 49 runs off the last 9.1 overs.

"We put the lower order under huge pressure so they couldn't play the game they would normally play," de Villiers said. "But with the ball, they [Parnell and Philander] showed variation and skill, and then we let them down in the field."

Despite the stumble towards the end of the innings, South Africa can take heart from the pressure they created at the start and the return to form of Graeme Smith. With talk over the former captain facing the axe, Smith announced his intention to continue playing the 50-over format of the game brutally. "Hopefully he makes it happen now and maximises this," de Villiers said. "I am expecting more runs from him in Jo'burg."

The final match of the series will be South Africa's last home appearance of the summer before they head to New Zealand and England. de Villiers said they want end this series in as strong a position as possible. "We spoke about ruthlessness before this game but we weren't that ruthless. We'll have to do that better. We wanted a whitewash but we didn't do that. We want to make it 4-1 now."

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Sri Lanka and Smith Under Pressure in 4th ODI

South Africa v Sri Lanka, 4th ODI, Kimberley

The Preview by Firdose Moonda

January 19, 2012

Match facts
January 20, Kimberley
Start time 14:30 (12:30 GMT)

The Big Picture

It's that time of the series, when you wish there was a mercy rule. South Africa have already ensured their trophy cabinet will have an addition, and Sri Lanka are empty handed in a fourth consecutive series since the 2011 World Cup.

After losing the World Cup final, Sri Lanka have endured a miserable nine months on the field, although they are talented and hard-working side. Despite spending nearly eight weeks in South Africa, their batsmen have not got used to the conditions or the opposition. Their bowlers have lacked the killer instinct possessed by the merciless South African attack, and the area of their game that needs the most improvement is the fielding, where the lack of energy has been alarming.

That said, Sri Lanka have improved in every ODI and will feel it's about time they were good enough. The sports ministry has asked for an inquiry into their poor performances and Tillakaratne Dilshan will have to motivate his players to put in two good showings before they head home to face the music.

With the prize already won, South Africa will want to show they can maintain their intensity. The next two matches offer them a chance to test new combinations and give the reserves a run.

Form guide

South Africa WWWLW Sri Lanka LLLLL

Watch out for …

Graeme Smith probably has two more innings to save his one-day career. With Alviro Petersen showing signs that he can take his Test form into the fifty-over format, and Hashim Amla set to return from paternity leave at the end of the series, the axe is hovering over Smith. He has shown a lack of confidence at the crease and has not been able to get going. He needs to soon to prolong his limited-overs career.

At 24, Angelo Mathews appears to have an inordinate amount of responsibility. Not only is he Sri Lanka's vice-captain but he also has to play the role of leading allrounder. He hasn't starred in either role so far. What is evident is that he has the ability to, and has two more opportunities to show South Africa his skills.

Team news …

South Africa are spoilt for choice, particularly in the bowling department. Dale Steyn will be rested for the remaining matches and Wayne Parnell will play. Vernon Philander may get the nod ahead of Morne Morkel, but Johan Botha is unlikely to replace Robin Peterson. The batting line-up will remain the same, with the No. 4 position flexible.

South Africa: (probable) 1 Graeme Smith, 2 Alviro Petersen, 3 Colin Ingram, 4 AB de Villiers (capt & wk), 5 JP Duminy, 6 Faf du Plessis, 7 Albie Morkel, 8 Robin Petersen, 9 Wayne Parnell, 10 Morne Morkel/Vernon Philander, 11 Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

Mahela Jayawardene has been ruled out for the next few weeks with a back injury. Lahiru Thirimanne will play in his place, although his position in the line-up has not been decided. Sachithra Senanayake has arrived in South Africa and trained with the team, but Sri Lanka are yet to decide if two spinners is a viable option at this venue.

Sri Lanka: (probable) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), 2 Upul Tharanga, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Lahiru Thirimanne, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Lasith Malinga, 10 Rangana Herath, 11 Dhammika Prasad

Pitch and conditions

Although the ground staff left some grass on the Kimberley pitch, the sun will probably bake it into a flat wicket by match time. Temperatures are hotter than in Bloemfontein and both sides can expect to sweat.

Stats and trivia

South Africa have won five out of five matches in Kimberley and they chased in all of them. In their only game against Sri Lanka here, in 2002, South Africa won by 8 wickets.

In ten matches at this venue, the fast bowlers have taken 99 wickets at 30.56, while spinners have only 17 wickets at 58.11.

Quotes

"The training has been fantastic but sometimes there is more value in not training. There is no exact science. We feel there is a bit of fatigue in the dressing room."
Gary Kirsten explains why South Africa have had some down time over the last two days.

"When you are playing against a team like South Africa, who are playing really good cricket, it's difficult for us to get on top."
Sri Lanka are struggling to match their opposition, according to Mahela Jayawardene.

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We Showed a lot of Maturity - De Villiers

South Africa v Sri Lanka , 3rd ODI, Bloemfontein

Firdose Moonda

January 17, 2012

In the space of a week, AB de Villiers has gone from captaining a team for the first time at any level, to winning an international series with two matches to spare. He'd be forgiven for thinking leadership is one of the easiest things he has been asked to do. But he doesn't.

Of all the players in the South African side over the past year, de Villiers developed the most. From a rough and tumble, schoolboy-style youngster as recently as during the 2011 World Cup, he has become a reasoning, sensible man whom anyone would want to call their captain. He also showed the ability to motivate, guide, think creatively and strategise, which are essential qualities for a leader of men.

"I am very proud of the boys. We took it one game at a time. I would like to think we will keep playing this kind of cricket," de Villiers said after the victory in Bloemfontein, which gave South Africa a 3-0 lead in the series against Sri Lanka. "We showed a lot of maturity, and a lot of young guys that came in showed experience. We didn't expect it to be 3-nil but we are very happy that it is."

South Africa managed to stay one step ahead of Sri Lanka even as the visitors took large strides towards improvement. The closest South Africa came to being caught was in Bloemfontein, but de Villiers lead the charge in a pressure situation to win despite wet weather. "The game was in the balance a little bit but I'm glad we got there in the end," he said.

One of South Africa's successful tactics was the rotation of the No. 4 position between de Villiers, JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis. In the third ODI, du Plessis came up the order and made his highest ODI score, 72, and de Villiers said they would keep the position fluid. "I warned you guys that we are going to mix it up a little bit," he joked. "I needed to bat down the order because it was important to get partnerships in the front."

du Plessis said he was "grateful" to get the opportunity to spend more time in the middle. "In the previous two games, I got two or three overs at the end so it was nice to go out and express myself." He also expressed himself in the field, where he effected a run-out to dismiss Kumar Sangakkara and saved lots of runs at point.

de Villiers also lauded a "much better" fielding effort by South Africa. Although they dropped four chances and missed five run-out opportunities, they caught four batsmen and ran out three others. de Villiers, however, said they had to improve and were not "a perfect team".

With the series won, de Villiers said the focus would be on "4-nil first" in Kimberley on Friday, because thoughts turn to a whitewash. It will also provide an opportunity to test new combinations, something South Africa started in Bloemfontein but can apply with more freedom in the remaining two fixtures.

"We could have one or two bowlers coming in but the batting will stay more or less the same," de Villiers said. South Africa had a new-look top three in Bloemfontein and de Villiers said they were likely to stick with that for the next two matches. "Colin [Ingram] deserves another chance at No. 3."

de Villiers also indicated that out-of-form batsman Graeme Smith would stay in the side, despite mounting criticism. Smith's last ODI hundred was during the Champions Tophy in 2009 and he has managed only one half-century in his previous 15 matches. With Alviro Petersen in good form, talk is rife that Smith will dropped once Hashim Amla returns from paternity leave.

"His [Smith's] confidence is not very high at the moment but I am expecting runs very soon," de Villiers said. "We know he is under pressure and we have to remember that no-one is invincible. Poor form is around the corner for all of us. But he is one of those big match players and he is old enough and experienced enough to know what to do. All we can do is support him."

Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe served South Africa well but two of them may make way for Vernon Philander and Wayne Parnell in the remaining games against Sri Lanka. Philander was brought into the squad after an injury to Rory Kleinveldt, but Parnell has been part of the group from the outset but has yet to get a look in.

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Tight Duckworth-Lewis Victory Gives South Africa Series

South Africa v Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI, Bloemfontein

The Report by Siddhartha Talya

January 17, 2012

South Africa 179 for 5 (du Plessis 72, de Villiers 39*) beat Sri Lanka 266 for 9 (Tharanga 58, Nuwan Kulasekara 40) by four runs according to D-L method

South Africa took an unassailable 3-0 lead after the most closely fought game of the five-match series thus far, with the result settled in anticlimactic fashion by the Duckworth-Lewis method. Thundershowers interrupted play at the end of 34 overs of South Africa's chase, at which time the teams were on even terms but the hosts just four runs ahead mathematically. In that context, captain AB de Villiers' counterattacking, unbeaten 39 and his brief partnership with Albie Morkel, which included a retrospectively decisive 26 runs in the last three overs, settled the game for South Africa.

Batting down the order, at No.6, and promoting Faf du Plessis to No.4 proved a masterstroke from de Villiers, who showed excellent adaptability to a tricky situation posed by the weather. A light drizzle infused a sense of urgency in his approach, and by the time it had developed into pouring rain, he had taken his team past the required target. His efforts, together with du Plessis' fluent half-century earlier in the innings, undermined a spirited performance from Sri Lanka in the field and a much-improved show with the bat.

Three fours in an over against Kosala Kulasekara signalled the acceleration South Africa needed to get their noses ahead. de Villiers, in the 32nd over, smashed two deliveries through extra cover and walked across to clip one through square leg. The next over fetched five and what turned out to be the final over of the match yielded eight, including a wide and at least a run scored off every other ball. de Villiers and Albie Morkel had got together when their opponents held the advantage, following the run-outs of du Plessis and JP Duminy.

du Plessis revived South African hopes after an early double-strike from Lasith Malinga, and an irresponsible shot from a set Alviro Petersen, jolted the hosts, who were missing the services of two key batsmen - Jacques Kallis was rested and Hashim Amla out on paternal duties. du Plessis was fluent throughout. He timed the ball well, punching it firmly through the off side, subtly working the ball and opening the face on either side behind the stumps and crashing deliveries past the covers for a couple of boundaries. Duminy moved along steadily at the other end, picking up the singles and twos comfortably as the field spread, and collecting boundaries himself with some expert placement.

But just as it seemed South Africa were going to inch ahead due to that 61-run stand, Duminy, racing to the non-striker's end in the 24th over for a single, was given run-out by the third umpire Billy Doctrove. Nuwan Kulasekara scored a direct hit but the side angle showed Duminy to just have made it as the bails were knocked off, while the front-on angle showed the bat just on the line. As the big screen flashed "Out" there was disbelief on Duminy's face and in the South African dressing-room, where Gary Kirsten had his arms up in the air. It took an age for Duminy to walk off, and the pressure was back on the hosts again. A little more than five overs later, a cramping du Plessis departed, struggling to complete a quick single and found short as Kumar Sangakkara took off the bails. But as it turned out, he'd done enough for his captain to complete the job in time.

Angelo Mathews, the Sri Lanka vice-captain, had aimed for a target of 250 in this game and his team exceeded expectations. The openers, led by Upul Tharanga, with Tillakaratne Dilshan uncharacteristically playing second fiddle while recovering from two consecutive ducks, approached their innings methodically, forging a 94-run stand. The focus was on settling down and batting long, illustrated by only two boundaries being struck in the first 10 overs, both from Tharanga.

Both improvised, Tharanga smashing two sixes in the first over of spin and Dilshan pulling off his trademark scoop. But they kicked off a trend of batsmen being dismissed after getting starts and not converting them to something substantial, top-edging sweeps.

Sangakkara struck three delectable boundaries through different parts of the ground, including his favourite cover drive, but both he and Mahela Jayawardene were run out, thanks to brilliant pieces of fielding from du Plessis and Colin Ingram. Nuwan Kulasekara made a handy 40 down the order, and Dinesh Chandimal and Mathews chipped in.

But despite a collective effort with the bat, more energy and fight in the field, and the fact that the match was evenly poised when rain interrupted, Sri Lanka hadn't done enough.

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Ingram Keen to Bat at No.3

Sri Lanka in South Africa 2011-12

Firdose Moonda

January 16, 2012

There are large shoes to fill and then there are boots. Colin Ingram will need feet the size of the latter if he is named in South Africa's starting XI to play Sri Lanka in the third ODI on Tuesday in Bloemfontein.

Ingram will likely slot in at No. 3, the spot previously occupied by Jacques Kallis who is being rested for the remainder of the series. Kallis played an important part in holding South Africa's batting together in the previous two matches, with scores of 72 and 37.

However, Kallis has indicated his desire to play in the 2015 World Cup and is currently being managed carefully in order to make it to the tournament. He will miss some of South Africa's future ODIs, opening a spot for players like Ingram to fill.

"I am hoping to bat at No.3. That's the feeling I get about where my role will be," Ingram told ESPNcricinfo. "That's definitely my preferred spot. I used to open as a youngster but I am most comfortable at three."

Ingram's ability to open the batting gives the selectors options at the top, which they will need as they attempt to finalise an unsettled top three. Hashim Amla will also not feature in the rest of the series as he has been given time off for paternal duties and former captain Graeme Smith is struggling for form. Alviro Petersen has also been called up, presumably to replace Amla, which leaves the No. 3 position to Ingram.

Ingram has played 12 ODIs, scored two centuries and has an average of 41.55. He last featured during the 2011 World Cup, where he played one match, against Ireland in Kolkata and scored 46. The experience was a painful one for South Africa after they crashed out in the quarter-finals in an all too familiar fashion. While most of the players were badly affected by the manner of the defeat, Ingram said he escaped any serious emotional scarring.

"It was a big disappointment especially because there was such a good vibe and belief in the squad. I'd say we left with some pages unwritten," he said. "But, I didn't play much so I got over it quite quickly. I could see it as an outsider looking in as well."

Since then, Ingram captained the Warriors franchise to the final of the 1-day cup. He was the third highest run-scorer in the competition with 505 runs at an average of 45.90. "Captaincy pushed me to a degree," Ingram said. "It was good for my game as well. I was lucky because I had a few guys in the team who had captained before and supported me." The Warriors franchise includes stalwarts like Nicky Boje, Arno Jacobs and Makhaya Ntini, who would have all helped Ingram develop his leadership.

Always a player with a solid head on his shoulders, Ingram now has the experience to back up a sustained run in the national side. Ingram's attitude to the game will sit well with team management that has stressed the need for cool heads as the series reaches a possible turning point. Victory in Bloemfontein will see South Africa win the series, defeat will put some pressure on them and how they deal with that will be vital.

Ingram expects Sri Lanka to turn up the heat as they continue improving. "They are a very proud team and their bowling unit offers a few different things," he said. "They are lacking a few seamers at the moment to back [Lasith] Malinga up but they will come back."

As much Sri Lanka grow in confidence, South Africa will have to on wariness and Ingram believes they will make the mental adjustments. A youthful squad, led by the feisty AB de Villiers, has shown creativity and innovation, which Ingram said will continue, despite the changes in team make-up.

Although South Africa will have to juggle their line-up, they have maintained a continuity of sorts in the squad by recalling players who have been part of the set up before, such as Ingram. He's worked with Gary Kirsten before, when Kirsten was a batting consultant at the Warriors franchise and also attended the 28-man national training camp held in late August, which was Kirsten's first introduction to the national team. Ingram said that experience means he knows exactly what to expect from both coach and captain. "Gary and AB will promote an open, honest environment. They set high standards and expect big things."

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Kallis and Amla to Miss Rest of ODI Series against Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka in South Africa 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff

January 15, 2012

Hashim Amla will miss the remainder of the ODI series against Sri Lanka to be with his wife, who is expecting their first child. Jacques Kallis has been rested while Rory Kleinveldt has been ruled out due to injury.

Alviro Petersen and Colin Ingram replace the two senior batsmen and Vernon Philander, who's been impressive in Tests, has been picked in the ODI squad in place of Kleinveldt.

Amla's been in excellent form in the series; he scored a century in the first ODI in Paarl and followed up with a half-century to help South Africa take a 2-0 lead in East London.

The decision to rest Kallis is part of Cricket South Africa's rotational policy, though it is yet unclear about when Kleinveldt is likely to return after a "relatively long-term injury".

"Hashim Amla has been forced to stand down because of family responsibilities while Rory Kleinveldt has a relatively long-term injury," Andrew Hudson, the CSA selection convenor, said in a release.

Petersen has been in good form, with runs behind his back for the Lions in the Franchise 1-day Cup, the domestic List A tournament, where he was the top scorer, and a century against Sri Lanka in the third Test in Cape Town, where he was picked at the expense of Ashwell Prince.

Ingram, too, has had a good run, with consecutive hundreds for Warriors in the SuperSport series and 521 runs at 57.88 in the Franchise 1-day Cup. Both are making a comeback to the ODI side after extended breaks. Ingram last played in the World Cup and Petersen hasn't played an ODI for South Africa since May 2010.

Philander finished the Sri Lanka Test series with 16 wickets in two matches and grabbed 14 in the series prior against Australia. He last played an ODI for South Africa in August 2008.

"Both Petersen and Philander showed excellent form in the recent Test series against Sri Lanka and they have also represented the Proteas in the ODI format before so I don't anticipate their having any problems adapting to 50 overs cricket," Hudson said. "Ingram has also been in top form in domestic cricket and was a member of the squad that went to the World Cup last year after making a century on debut against Zimbabwe.

"Although we are sad to lose players such as Amla and Kallis I see this as an opportunity to try out our options. There are still places up for grabs in our ODI squad and I must say I am excited to see the talent coming through our development pipeline."

South Africa squad: AB de Villiers (capt & wk), Johan Botha, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Colin Ingram, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Alviro Petersen, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Graeme Smith, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

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Duminy and Amla Take South Africa to Five-Wicket Victory

South Africa v Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI, East London

The Report by Abhishek Purohit

January 14, 2012

South Africa 237 for 5 (Duminy 66*, Amla 55, Prasad 3-46) beat Sri Lanka 236 for 6 (Chandimal 92*, Tharanga 66, M Morkel 2-39, Tsotsobe 2-43) by five wickets

Sri Lanka's batting turned up on a slow East London pitch after the no-show in Paarl but a scratchy performance was not enough to push South Africa, though the hosts managed to give themselves some nervy moments during the chase. Sri Lanka's three big batsmen failed once again and it was only due to the rapidly maturing Dinesh Chandimal and Upul Tharanga that they avoided another poor score.

Hashim Amla's wizardry then threatened to shut out the visitors before South Africa lost crucial wickets at the wrong times to make sure the rest of their chase wouldn't be as breezy as Amla's innings was. JP Duminy, though, kept his cool to guide his side home in the penultimate over.

AB de Villiers had earlier been lured into putting Sri Lanka in by overcast skies, but the visitors were able to survive and slowly build their innings, partly due to the lack of bite in the pitch and partly due to Chandimal and Tharanga. That South Africa got as much as 237 to chase was down largely to Chandimal. He batted till the end of Sri Lanka's innings, displaying grit - a quality that has been largely absent among Sri Lanka's batsmen recently.

Chandimal outside-edged heaves over point, he even lap-swept a ball off his helmet a four. Timing eluded him for most of his innings, but fortune did not. He repeatedly tried to smash the spinners out of the ground only for the ball to roll towards midwicket. He could have been run out several times as he went for tight singles. He had earlier been hit on the arm and the side of the helmet by Albie Morkel as he played a pull too early. But he just smiled and rode out the tough period. He hit his first four off the 16th delivery he faced, the next one came off the 85th as he carried Sri Lanka from 164 for 5 in the 40th over to 236 for 6 in the company of Angelo Mathews.

The visitors had initially found themselves in familiar territory at 21 for 2 after 10 overs despite the Buffalo Park pitch affording neither the pace nor the bounce that Paarl had. Tillakaratne Dilshan still managed to get dismissed off the fourth ball he faced for his second duck in as many games, a slight hesitation while attempting a tight single against the arm of Faf du Plessis finding him short of the crease. He now averages 15.50 with the bat in 18 ODIs since taking over the Sri Lanka captaincy.

With edges dying on the wicketkeeper and batsmen being beaten after playing their shots too early, it was no surprise that Lonwabo Tsotsobe's assortment of slower deliveries and cutters proved difficult to score off. After having played the patience game in making 3 off 27 deliveries, Kumar Sangakkara fiddled with a Tsotsobe delivery outside off stump and feathered a dying edge to the wicketkeeper.

Tharanga and Chandimal were tested more by the slowness of the pitch than by South Africa's bowlers. But to their credit, they were prepared to wait and nudge the ball around. Tharanga, the only Sri Lanka batsman to find some measure of timing on the pitch, glided deliveries for boundaries through point, and when the spinners found some help from the pitch he stepped out to loft them down the ground. An attempt to glide Morne Morkel towards third man resulted in a faint edge to the keeper after he had motored to 66.

South Africa's excellence in the field earned them the wickets of Mahela Jayawardene and the promoted Nuwan Kulasekara, both after breezy cameos. Chandimal ultimately carried them to a score that was seven runs short of the average total by a side batting first at Buffalo Park.

Sri Lanka needed Lasith Malinga to strike early if they were to make the target of 237 seem bigger than it was, but Amla and Graeme Smith were careful to play out his opening burst with caution. With Malinga out of the way for the moment, Amla began to toy with the rest of the attack, untroubled by the slowness of the track. He smashed Nuwan Kulasekara for six over extra cover, walked across to flick him for four through midwicket and flicked him over square leg for six.

Dilshan soon did what he so often does when there are no answers to be found: he brought himself on. Amla guided and nudged him for consecutive fours to race towards his half-century. Dhammika Prasad gave Sri Lanka much-needed relief as Amla finally failed to connect and was bowled for 55.

Rangana Herath, who had been held back, came on and troubled Kallis immediately with sharp turn as well as with arm balls. A slow partnership between Kallis and Duminy followed, which served to push the asking-rate up. With 85 needed from 15 overs, Kallis sliced Prasad straight to sweeper cover in an attempt to speed up the scoring.

de Villiers came in charged up and soon ran himself out, attempting a non-existent single to short third man. But Amla's start had afforded South Africa the space to wobble a bit. Duminy did what was required, working the singles and pushing for the twos. He hit only one boundary off 87 deliveries but still scored at a strike-rate of over 75. It wasn't fancy stuff, it wasn't the artistry of Amla, but South Africa would be grateful to Duminy for doing the dirty work that steered home what should have been a far smoother chase.

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South Africa and Sri Lanka will Face Each Other in 2nd ODI Tomorrow

South Africa v Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI, East London

The Preview by Nitin Sundar

January 13, 2012

Match facts
January 14, East London
Start time 10:00 (8:00 GMT)

The Big Picture

Sri Lanka, like their fellow World Cup finalists, find themselves tumbling down a seemingly endless abyss. And like with India, the big question is whether Sri Lanka are doing anything to arrest their descent. The Durban Test suggested a revival, but in reality that win was down to a magnificent exhibition of in-the-trenches grit from Thilan Samaraweera, and an equally large-hearted effort from Rangana Herath. Sri Lanka responded by leaving Samaraweera out of the ODI squad, and Herath out of the starting XI for Paarl. Their presence may not have altered the result in that game, but nonetheless they were missed.

There's only one way Sri Lanka can go from 43 all out, but a revival will require application from the big three at the top. Tillakaratne Dilshan has been the biggest culprit, attempting million-dollar strokes too early, and falling for single-digit scores five times in seven innings so far on the tour. Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, between them, have managed just one century in 14 efforts. Even that would not have transpired had Mark Boucher not dropped a regulation catch from Sangakkara early in his second-innings effort in Durban. Sri Lanka's attack will be desperate for their batsmen to turn the corner in East London, where the conditions are expected to be similar to Paarl's.

Everything South Africa tried worked in the first one-dayer. The batting clicked in unison to leave the Sri Lankan attack with figures much worse than they deserved. AB de Villiers attempted radical 7-2 fields, only for his bowlers to back him up and the Sri Lanka batsmen to play into his hands. At some point in his tenure, de Villiers will be confronted by tougher circumstances, and given the capricious nature of the one-day format, it could happen in the very next game.

Form guide
(Most recent first)

South Africa WLWLL
Sri Lanka LLLLW

Watch out for...

Albie Morkel's short stints with bat and ball in Paarl did not do much damage in the context of the game, but were good indicators of the form he is in. Coming in at No. 5, he slugged two monstrous sixes in the end overs, and bowled two overs of menacing seam for no reward later in the evening. If the top order performs well again, South Africa could consider promoting him even higher in the batting line-up.

Nuwan Kulasekara was unlucky not to pick up more wickets in Paarl, after producing a bunch of prodigious inswingers with the new ball. Like several of his team-mates, he will be hoping for a change of fortune in East London.

Team news

Dilhara Fernando had a knee concern on the eve of the match, and Ajantha Mendis a recurrence of his back niggle. Thisara Perera or Dhammika Prasad could come in for Fernando, while Herath may take the specialist spinner's spot if Mendis misses out.

Sri Lanka: (probable) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), 2 Upul Tharanga, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Mahela Jayawardene, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Thisara Perera / Dilhara Fernando, 8 Kosala Kulasekara, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Ajantha Mendis / Rangana Herath

Rory Kleinveldt, who was benched in Paarl, has been ruled out of the series with an injured quadricep muscle. South Africa are yet to name a replacement. Hashim Amla is waiting on the birth of his first child, and might pull out of the game at the last moment. In case he does, Johan Botha will have to step in, forcing South Africa to rejig their batting order.

South Africa: (probable) 1 Graeme Smith, 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Jacques Kallis, 4 AB de Villiers (capt & wk), 5 JP Duminy, 6 Faf du Plessis, 7 Albie Morkel, 8 Robin Peterson, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Lonwabo Tsotsobe, 11 Morne Morkel

Stats and trivia

South Africa have lost only four times at Buffalo Park, and the last of those defeats came in 1999
Sri Lanka have a 2-1 win-loss record here. The victories came against New Zealand and Zimbabwe, and the defeat against South Africa

Quotes
"It bothers me when I am not the one run out. If somebody else gets run out it bothers me more than anything."
Hashim Amla is concerned after being involved in four run-outs this season.

"We were very disappointed with our performance in the first one-dayer and we apologise to our cricketing family in Sri Lanka."
Sri Lankan coach Geoff Marsh doesn't offer excuses for the team's woefulness.

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Tait Pulls Out From Dolphins Campaign

South Africa news

ESPNcricinfo staff

January 12, 2012

Shaun Tait, the Australia fast bowler, has pulled out of the 2011-12 domestic Twenty20 campaign of the Dolphins, the Durban-based South African franchise, due to injury concerns to his bowling elbow. The Dolphins said in a release that Tait's condition required long-term remedial therapy, including rest, ruling him out of South Africa's domestic T20 series starting next month.

Tait, who retired from Tests and ODIs following Australia's exit in the quarter-final of the 2011 World Cup, had signed up with the franchise in August last year.

"This is a significant disappointment to lose Shaun, but we understand his reasons," Jesse Chellan, the chief executive of the franchise, said. "We wish him well with his recovery and hope that we are able to secure his services in the future. For now, our immediate concern is to try to find a replacement bowler to bolster our attack for the T20 competition."

The Dolphins topped the table in the league phase of the T20 competition last year but were beaten in the semi-final by the Warriors.

Tait is currently playing in Australia's Big Bash League for the Melbourne Renegades. He was forced to turn down a deal with Surrey last year due to another elbow injury sustained during the IPL.

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We Attack From Beginning to End - de Villiers

South Africa v Sri Lanka, 1st ODI, Paarl

Firdose Moonda at Boland Park

January 12, 2012

South African eyes had to be rubbed and blinked, skins had to be pinched and photographs had to be taken to make sure it was real. 21 for 9 is not something you see on a scoreboard every day. Or any day, except November 10, 2011.

It has been two months and a day since those figures appeared on the scoreboard and already an arguably more incredulous feat has been achieved. When Sri Lanka teetered on 13 for 6, 24 for 7 and even 33 for 8, they were at risk of being bowled out for the lowest total in ODI history.

It would have been an ironic twist if they were, because they have inflicted the three current lowest totals on their opposition. Zimbabwe, who were skittled for 35 in 2003-04, have the lowest total, Canada, who managed 36 right here in Paarl in 2002-03 have the second lowest and Zimbabwe feature again, this time with 38. Sri Lanka now find themselves next on the list with their 43, a feat that will have them hanging their heads in shame.

AB de Villiers had a teasing glint in his eye when he was asked about seeing those numbers appear in lights but tempered his response when describing what it felt like looking at them. "It was good, the plans came together," he said. "I asked the boys to come in with the new ball and to strike. They really ran in as a force and it worked out well."

South Africa had not seen the Paarl pitch before they arrived to play the match, having chosen to train in Cape Town the day before. In scorching heat, they quickly worked out that an already dry, flat surface would need more than just an ordinary effort.

"We knew that we'd have to run in and hit the deck hard," de Villiers said. "That's the key on these kinds of tracks, then you can get out of it what you want. We did have a bit of seam movement, which we didn't expect, but we also saw Dale not clocking in below 140 kph. It was aggressive and we had intent all the time."

Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe put Sri Lanka out of the match faster than a rush of cold air does a candle and they did so using basic principles of bounce and seam. Morkel raced to career-best figures, a welcome turn-around from his sketchy summer form that has seen question marks arise around his role in the team.

"I started off slowly this season but I knew in the back of my mind that a special performance was around the corner," Morkel said. "[It came on] On AB's debut [as full-time one-day captain] and he a close friend of mine, so it was a special feeling to be able to do it now. We had simple plans that we wanted to execute and I think we did that well."

Morkel was not the only member in the team who was motivated to give that little bit extra for the new captain. Centurion Hashim Amla also had a welcoming gift for de Villiers, with the ninth hundred of his career. "He [Amla] is a rock," de Villiers said. "We made a joke before we started, when he came to me and said congratulations on the captaincy. I said to him, 'You will make a lot easier if you score a hundred'. Obviously he took that to heart."

With a squad that is firing with bat and ball, de Villiers' introduction to leadership was as smooth as they come. Instead of relishing that, he admitted to being a little let-down - he had expected more of a challenge. "It wasn't the test I was hoping for, I wasn't tested at all," he said. "It was all attack, from the beginning to the end. My real test will come when we under pressure. Tonight was really easy, but I know it will get a lot harder."

De Villiers could easily get lost in the euphoria of a crushing win, but he is making a conscious effort to keep his feet on the ground and make sure the rest of his squad does so as well. "I have played this game long enough to know that this is not the time to get excited," he said. "We've got another ODI coming up soon and we have a lot of work to do."

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South Africa and Sri Lanka will Face Each Other in 1st ODI Tomorrow

South Africa v Sri Lanka, 1st ODI, Paarl

The Preview by Siddarth Ravindran

January 10, 2012

Match facts
January 11, Paarl
Start time 14:30 (12:30 GMT)

The Big Picture

Before the Test series, the gulf in quality between the two sides seemed unbridgeable, though Sri Lanka went on to pull off one of the upsets of the decade in Durban before surrendering the series. In the one-day format, the teams are more evenly matched, as the rankings show - South Africa are third with 116 points, while Sri Lanka are fourth with 112. Also Sri Lanka's attack gets the cutting edge it lacked in the Tests with the return of Lasith Malinga, among the most feared bowlers in the limited-overs game.

While the bowling line-up of both teams is likely to be radically different from the Cape Town Test, South Africa have the added change of having a new full-time one-day captain. Graeme Smith's long reign having coming to an end, it is AB de Villiers who now takes the helm - an extra responsibility for someone who played as a specialist batsman two years ago. Now he has the MS Dhoni-like role of being captain, key batsman and wicketkeeper.

The other captain will also be under pressure, with both runs and wins proving elusive. Tillakaratne Dilshan is yet to win either a Test or major one-day series since taking over after the World Cup, and murmurs over him being replaced will only get louder if there is another mis-step this series.

Both sides have been in indifferent form in recent one-dayers. South Africa lost their only one-day series since the World Cup, going down to Australia, while Sri Lanka have failed in all their series against major opposition in that period.

Form guide
(Most recent first)

South Africa LWLLW
Sri Lanka LLLWL

Watch out for...
2011 was Lasith Malinga's most productive year in one-dayers so far. He topped the charts with 48 wickets, including two hat-tricks and three five-wicket hauls. On what is likely to be a batsman's track, against a formidable South African top order, Malinga's grab bag of tricks could prove pivotal to the outcome.

JP Duminy has been out of the Test side for nearly a year now, but remains an integral part of the South African one-day outfit. His ability to bat at several gears makes him a valuable part of the middle order, while his part-time offspin lends balance. His razor-sharp fielding is an added bonus.

Team news

de Villiers hinted that Wayne Parnell would miss out and that South Africa will consider two spinners for the game.

South Africa: (probable) 1 Graeme Smith, 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Jacques Kallis, 4 AB de Villiers (capt & wk), 5 JP Duminy, 6 Faf du Plessis 7 Albie Morkel, 8 Johan Botha, 9 Robin Peterson, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Lonwabo Tsotsobe / Morne Morkel

The Sri Lanka top six all pick themselves, while the bowling could be very different from the Cape Town Test. Malinga is a certainty, Dilhara Fernando is fit after a knee problem that kept him out of the final Test, while Nuwan Kulasekara and Ajantha Mendis are also expected to play.

Sri Lanka: (probable) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), 2 Upul Tharanga, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Mahela Jayawardene, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Thisara Perera / Kosala Kulasekara, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Lasith Malinga, 10 Dilhara Fernando, 11 Ajantha Mendis

Pitch and conditions

Slow and low is the usual character of the Paarl pitch. Rory Kleinveldt, the local lad, said that he expects 280 or 290 to be a good first-innings score. It's going to be scorching day, with the temperature set to peak at 35 degrees.

Stats and trivia

Among major teams, Sri Lanka and South Africa are the sides who have played the least cricket against each other in recent times. Since January 2005, Sri Lanka have played only seven ODIs against South Africa, while they faced India 50 times during the same period.
de Villiers has been in fantastic form in one-dayers over the past three years, averaging 62.65 with a strike rate around 100.

For a full stats analysis, click here.

Quotes
"There are spots up for grabs, the team is definitely not set."
AB de Villiers hints that the series against Sri Lanka could inform South Africa's long term ODI plans

"Every team is getting used to the two new balls strategy now. We played with those conditions against Pakistan in UAE. Everyone is used to playing with two new balls now."
Tillakaratne Dilshan does not believe two new balls will give South Africa's attack an advantage

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De Villiers Excited Ahead of Captaincy Debut

South Africa v Sri Lanka, 1st ODI, Paarl

Firdose Moonda in Cape Town

January 10, 2012

A naughty boy. Those were the three words used to describe South Africa's limited-overs captain AB de Villiers by his long-time team-mate and friend Albie Morkel. "But he has grown up now," Morkel said.

At the press conference on the eve of his debut as South Africa captain, de Villiers could well have been the excited, bouncing bundle Morkel was referring to. He bounded in, he beamed, he even bellowed out his answers. He didn't have to say it but it was obvious that he was thrilled to be there.

This has been a long time coming. de Villiers was named captain of the ODI and Twenty20 squads more than seven months ago in June 2011. He then had to wait a little over four months for a chance to lead the side for the first time, in a T20I against Australia. But the week before the match, he injured his hand during training with his IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore and without having touched the captaincy reins himself, had to hand them over to Hashim Amla.

For those two T20Is and three ODIs against Australia, de Villiers cut a lonely figure. He lurked around the stadiums with a look on his face that said he wished he could play. He will finally get his chance on Wednesday when he walks out ahead of his team in Paarl for the first ODI against Sri Lanka.

"It's taken a while to get here," de Villiers said. "But I am really looking forward to it." Unlike Amla, the reluctant captain who stood in for de Villiers and said almost exactly the same words, de Villiers can be believed. Everything from his body language to the way he talked made it clear that de Villiers wants nothing more than to lead.

Remarkably, it is a job he has never held before. Not for a franchise, a domestic team or even at school. His main influence has been his former captain, Graeme Smith, and while de Villiers claimed to have taken pages out of Smith's book, he also insisted that he will start writing his own chapters soon.

"We are different people. I am younger and less experienced," de Villiers said. "You can expect to make a couple more mistakes. I won't be scared to try out new things and a bit of flair. I know he will be on my shoulder but he has told me that he will let me captain the way I want to."

de Villiers will also have another former captain, Johan Botha, and veteran all-rounder Jacques Kallis to lean on. The experienced hands could prove handy for him as his individual role is set to grow. Not only will de Villiers captain, he has also accepted full-time responsibility behind the stumps and may also bat at different positions in the line-up.

"It's something we have decided on for the future, it's not a short term thing," de Villiers said on his wicket-keeping role. "It opens up a spot or two in the team. Behind the stumps you have a very good view of the game, the angles and you get a very good feel about what the bowlers are trying to do."

Although de Villiers will start off batting at No. 4, he said it is a flexible position that could change at any moment. "We are going to be on our toes with that. We wouldn't like two left-handers at the crease at the same time. I might be floating a little bit. I am looking to bat at four but we are not going to be one dimensional."

de Villiers' multiple roles may seem back-breaking but apart from being fully fit after overcoming lower-back problems, de Villiers said he will relish the challenge. "Now I have a whole team to think about and I like it that way."

de Villiers wants to be at the helm of a unit who are willing to sacrifice individual goals for the good of the team and he said he had isolated one of the major improvements they need to make to be able to do that. "We have to be able to identify the situation and see when we have a situation where this is a game-breaker," he said. "Against Australia, we missed a trick here or there and we didn't attack at the right times."

The same probably applies to other instances where South Africa have tripped in the past, such as the 2011 World Cup. de Villiers acknowledged that the team had under-performed in key situations in that tournament but said they wanted to prevent that happening again. "At the World Cup, the balance of our side wasn't bad. We just didn't play well at the end."

de Villiers made that statement with none of the boyish charm and mischievous humour with which he held the rest of the press conference, confirming Morkel's statement that this boy really has grown up.

Read More

Kallis Targetting 2015 World Cup

Sri Lanka in South Africa 2011-12

Firdose Moonda

January 9, 2012

In 16 years of international cricket, Jacques Kallis has scored centuries against all nine other Test playing nations, has been part of series wins in Australia and England and has seen numerous ODI series victories. One thing he does not have, though, is a World Cup medal and it is that missing piece that is driving him to try to continue playing international cricket until at least 2015.

"The one thing I want to try and achieve is to be part of a team that can win a World Cup. That's a goal of mine," Kallis said after South Africa's victory in the third Test against Sri Lanka, in Cape Town. Kallis has played 317 ODIs, including five World Cups. He will turn 37 this year and will be 39 by the time the next World Cup takes place, in Australia and New Zealand, in 2015.

At the start of the summer local media expressed concern about what they called Kallis' dwindling reflexes, after he was worked over by Australia's 18-year-old fast bowler Pat Cummins, who trouble Kallis with his bouncer. Kallis said he did not read the reports and was only told about it by friends. His response on the field, though, was fierce.

He scored 224, his highest Test score, against Sri Lanka at Newlands, an aggressive pull shot the hallmark of his innings. He also extinguished doubts about his reflexes by taking six catches, five of which were at second slip. To cap it off, he took three wickets in Sri Lanka's second innings. It was an emphatic way to celebrate his 150th Test match and a screaming declaration of what he still has to offer South African cricket. "I couldn't have asked for it to have worked out better," Kallis said. "You dream of performances like that."

While he appeared closer to a teenager than someone entering his late 30s in Cape Town, Kallis has acknowledged that his workload needs to be managed. He did not bowl in the first innings at Newlands, after his marathon effort with the bat, because his captain Graeme Smith felt he "would not get much out of him."

Managing Kallis' bowling load could be key to prolonging his career. That could prove tricky due to the make-up of South Africa's bowling attack. With three aggressive fast bowlers and a legspinner in the side, Kallis is required to play a containing role with the ball, and if needed, to, in his words, "carry," the attack. In the shorter form of the game, he is unlikely to be used in the same capacity and less work with the ball could be vital as he targets 2015.

"I will take it year by year, month by month and game by game," he said. "No-one has the right to play in this side [without earning his place]. You've got to put in the performances for that. As long as I am enjoying it and putting in the performances, and the body holds, there's no reason for me to stop yet."

Kallis has been named in South Africa's squad for the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka, after which the selectors will decide on the group for the remaining three matches. Kallis said he hopes to play in all five fixtures although he recognises that he may be forced to pick which matches to play in the future.

"It looks like I will play all five matches. I said to Gary [Kirsten, the South Africa coach], we will have a look at it after the first two and we'll make a call from there. That will be the standard going forward. I have to be clever if I want to make it to the next World Cup."

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Albie Morkel Replaces Injured Dean Elgar For ODI Series against Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka in South Africa 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff

January 8, 2012

Allrounder Albie Morkel has been called up to South Africa's one-day squad for the five-match series against Sri Lanka because of an injury to batsman Dean Elgar.

Fast bowler Wayne Parnell also suffered a pinched nerve during a SuperSport Series match but he has been cleared for the ODIs. The series begins in Paarl on January 11.

Elgar suffered a knee injury while playing for the Knights against the Cape Cobras during the SuperSport Series matches over the weekend. "It is feared that he may have suffered ligament injury, which could necessitate surgery," Cricket South Africa said in a media release.

Morkel has not played for South Africa since November 2010. He suffered an abdominal muscle tear while playing for Chennai Super Kings in the Champions League T20 and then had surgery at the beginning of the South African summer.

Morkel, however, has been in good form for the Titans, scoring 127 not out and 55 not out, and taking wickets in the ongoing SuperSport Series match against Warriors. He will join the South Africa squad on January 9.

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