COLOMBO, Sir Lanka - Dale Steyn will get an early crack at the all-time South African record after Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat in the second and final Test here at the SSC.
Steyn requires just one wicket to pass Shaun Pollock’s mark of 421 wickets. The Proteas are behind 1-0 in the series after their massive defeat in Galle last week. The visitors made two changes to the line-up with Theunis de Bruyn and Lungi Ngidi coming in at the expense of Tabraiz Shamsi and Vernon Philander.
South Africa have not won a Test at the SSC in 25 years, dating back to Brett Schultz’s inspired nine-wicket haul in 1993. Four years ago, though, Hashim Amla’s team recorded a credible draw to win the series here. The Proteas are wearing black armbands after the death of Shamsi’s father earlier this week.
Teams at the SSC:
South Africa:
Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Faf du Plessis (capt), Quinton de Kock (wk), Theunis de Bruyn, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi Dale Steyn.
Sri Lanka:
Dimuth Karunaratne, Danushka Gunathilaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Roshen Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dilruwan Perera, Suranga Lakmal (capt), Rangana Herath, Akila Dananjaya.
Good morning and welcome to Day 1 of this 2nd must-win Test match between Sri Lanka and South Africa. Toss news: Sri Lanka have won the toss and will once again bat first. #SLvSA #ProteaFire pic.twitter.com/6yrPKFP5L0
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) July 20, 2018
The team are wearing black armbands today in memory of Tabraiz Shamsi’s father who passed away last week. #RIP🙏 pic.twitter.com/mLXqvF85cp