Africa Look to Kickstart on a Winning Note Against Lanka

Centurion: South Africa and Sri Lanka are set to play two front-line spinners apiece on what promises to be a turning wicket at Centurion Park for their Champions Trophy opener on Tuesday.

The hosts, the ICC's top-ranked One-day team, have off-spinner Johan Botha and left-armer Roelof van der Merwe while Sri Lanka will counter with off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and the unorthodox Ajantha Mendis.

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara said his side had a potent bowling attack that did not rely solely on spin to create problems for batsmen.

Hashim Amla is set to replace injured South African opener Herschelle Gibbs, who strained a rib muscle trying to avoid a straight drive by Smith in a warm-up match against West Indies on Friday.

Team news

South Africa: Graeme Smith has not shied from making statements for his team, and on the first day of the tournament, with regular co-opener Herschelle Gibbs out, his team needs the leader in the front. They have the likes of Smith, Kallis, de Villiers and Duminy to provide a solid foundation with the bat. The bowling department is also ideally balanced with a mixture of pace and spin.

Squad (likely): Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Mark Boucher (wk), Albie Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Johan Botha, Makhaya Ntini, Dale Steyn.

Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara the captain has been conspicuous in trying to bring a hard edge to his skilled team, but Sangakkara the batsman last scored an ODI century in June 2008, against Bangladesh.

Squad (likely): Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Thilina Kandamby, Chamara Kapugedera/Thilan Samaraweera , Angelo Mathews, Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga.

Pitch and conditions
Known to host a true pitch assisting an even play between bat and ball, SuperSport Park was described by Ray Jennings, coach of the Royal Challengers IPL team, as a wicket that changes character.

Stats and trivia

• South Africa lead 5-1 head-to-head on Sri Lanka in ICC events. They lost to Sri Lanka in the 1992 World Cup, and tied with them in 2003, but have won all other encounters.
• Murali, with 23 wickets, is the highest wicket-taker in Champions Trophy history.
• Sangakkara, with 22 catches and four stumpings, leads the dismissals table for wicketkeepers.

Match facts
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 (day/night)
Start time: 1430 local, 1230 GMT, 18:00 Srilanka

Head 2 Head