*Official* South Africa Tour of Sri Lanka 2018

[StephenZA]

South Africa Tour of Sri Lanka 2018 Scores, Fixtures, Tables & News - ESPNcricinfo

Jul 07, Sat - Jul 08, Sun TBC vs South Africa, Two-day practice match P Sara Oval, Colombo

Jul 12, Thu - Jul 16, Mon Sri Lanka vs South Africa, 1st Test Galle International Stadium, Galle

Jul 20, Fri - Jul 24, Tue Sri Lanka vs South Africa, 2nd Test Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo


Jul 26, Thu TBC vs South Africa, One-day warm-up match


Jul 29, Sun Sri Lanka vs South Africa, 1st ODI Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla

Aug 01, Wed Sri Lanka vs South Africa, 2nd ODI Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla

Aug 05, Sun Sri Lanka vs South Africa, 3rd ODI Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele

Aug 08, Wed Sri Lanka vs South Africa, 4th ODI Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele

Aug 12, Sun Sri Lanka vs South Africa, 5th ODI R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

Aug 14, Tue Sri Lanka vs South Africa, Only T20I R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo


SA Test Squad: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Keshav Maharaj, Shaun von Berg.

Edit and Klaasens.

PROTEAS ODI SQUAD: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Junior Dala, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungisani Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi.

 

[StephenZA]

After the great WI/SL series looking forward to this one. Pity only 2 Tests, getting sad that keeps happening. SA a quality batsmen light with de Villiers gone. Bowling stocks strong. Interesting to see the spinners picked. Really hoping for a great Steyn comeback.

SL tough at home think it will be a great series.

 

[Migara]

SL likely to play three spinners and prepare some flat tracks.

 

[smithassignment]

I love cricket and i think every guy out there love's it as it is a gentleman's game. This was a amazing series as red ball is always great.

 

[vcs]

I think SA's attack will have too much for SL's inexperienced batting lineup. If Amla and Du Plessis can regain some form, they should have enough to win the series. SL have a good chance if they can keep those two down.

 

[Daemon]

The SL wickets of late have been quite sporting so if they remain that way there should be some fun bowling on display.

 

[Bolo]

SL likely to play three spinners and prepare some flat tracks.

Why not go spin friendly? RSA has the firepower to get wickets on flat tracks.

 

[Maximas]

If SL can get a team that looks something like this on the park...

1. Karunaratne
2. Dhananjaya de Silva
3. Kusal Mendis
4. Roshen Silva
5. Chandimal
6. Matthews
7. Dickwella
8. Dilruwan
9. Phatty
10. Lakmal
11. Kumara

Then they have a decent sniff, there's a solid top 7 worth of quality(ish) batsmen but problem is one of them has to bat out of position and open, either that or with mind to SA's pace attack Kaushal Silva may come into the reckoning again to try and provide a bit of fortitude up the order, probably displacing Roshen Silva.

If this hypothetical team is available (and given the charges against Chandimal it may well not be) hopefully we will see the end of the 5 bowlers thing now that the quicks have had a good series in WI and the sort of Kusal Perera/Lahiru Thirrimanne types can be canned for good.

The right combination needs to be settled on quickly though because SL have an awful lot of touring outside of the SC coming up in the next 2 years

 

[Borges]

I hope Sri Lanka wins today; that should boost their confidence to face SA.
Though, facing a fit Steyn would still be a fearsome prospect, on any kind of wicket.

 

[YorksLanka]

If SL can get a team that looks something like this on the park...

1. Karunaratne
2. Dhananjaya de Silva
3. Kusal Mendis
4. Roshen Silva
5. Chandimal
6. Matthews
7. Dickwella
8. Dilruwan
9. Phatty
10. Lakmal
11. Kumara

Then they have a decent sniff, there's a solid top 7 worth of quality(ish) batsmen but problem is one of them has to bat out of position and open, either that or with mind to SA's pace attack Kaushal Silva may come into the reckoning again to try and provide a bit of fortitude up the order, probably displacing Roshen Silva.

If this hypothetical team is available (and given the charges against Chandimal it may well not be) hopefully we will see the end of the 5 bowlers thing now that the quicks have had a good series in WI and the sort of Kusal Perera/Lahiru Thirrimanne types can be canned for good.

The right combination needs to be settled on quickly though because SL have an awful lot of touring outside of the SC coming up in the next 2 years

I really like the look of your team.. but wonder whether Pradeep could come in instead of dilruwan but then that does put more pressure on the top 7 to score?-other option would be to have Kusal P at 8 and get the extra overs from DDS which would mean 8 batters~??

 

[Migara]

I'd say don't play Kumara. Keep him for overseas test matches only. He is not going to gain anything bowling on dustbowls in 34C temperature and 90pct humidity. Kasun Rajitha is the sort of bowler who can bowl on green tops as well as dust bowls without much issues.

 

[Migara]

Why not go spin friendly? RSA has the firepower to get wickets on flat tracks.

Preparing dust bowls is playing into hands of SAF. It will narrow the gap between spinners of two sides. Slowish flat tracks will negate SAF quicks, and only best of spinners will be able to take advantage of what ever spin available. Just like SAF dishing out fastish flat tracks in SAF, where Steyn and co can extract life out, but others cannot.

 

[OverratedSanity]

SA have the better spinner anyway if Herath doesn't play.

 

[StephenZA]

SA have the better spinner anyway if Herath doesn't play.

Did not know you had seen von Berg bowl....


Seriously if von Berg plays then RSA will win the tubby bowler award with Philander in the line-up as well.

 

[TheJediBrah]

SL likely to play three spinners and prepare some flat tracks.

I don't think that would be a good idea. SA have the bowlers with pace and reverse to take wickets. Better to go with dustbowls.

Not that I really give SL much chance regardless mind you. Would be good if they could pull off a miracle.

 

[StephenZA]

I don't think it will be a miracle for SL to win... when ABdV came back made the SA batting line-up very much stronger. With his retirement our middle order is weak again, think Markram stepping up and the form of Elgar, Amla and Faf being very important. We going to have to rely on Bavuma/de Bruyn/Klaasens to bat middle lower order against a turning ball, and that makes me very nervous. SA bowling is strong but we are not at home and the SL batsmen should be better in familiar conditions.

Think it might be a good series, anytime SA go to the subcontinent and do well I'm happy, but not a god given..

 

[TheJediBrah]

That's a good point. AB would make a huge difference to any side.

 

[OverratedSanity]

AB basically just came back from retirement specifically to **** India and Australia one last time and retired again. WAC.

 

[StephenZA]

AB basically just came back from retirement specifically to **** India and Australia one last time and retired again. WAC.

Another reason to love and adore him.....

 

[OverratedSanity]

Very interested to see how Markram goes here. Probably his first big test against spin. Could be a turning point for QdK's career too if he does well.