South Africa hold a 1-0 series lead over Sri Lanka as the teams head into the second and final test match which gets under way at St. Georges Park, Gqeberha on Thursday
The first test took place in Durban last week and South Africa ran out convincing winners by a margin of 233 runs.
Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first in the series opener, they had the Proteas in early trouble but Bavuma top scored with 70 and the innings closed on 191 all out. Asitha Fernando and Kumara both took 3 wickets a piece. Sri Lanka's reply lasted just 13.5 overs as they were bowled out for just 42 with Marco Jansen taking 7 wickets.
The Proteas second innings saw Stubbs and Bavuma both score centuries as the hosts declared on 355/5. Sri Lanka were effectively chasing a lost cause but they made 282 in their second innings with Chandimal scoring 83 and skipper Dhananjaya de Silva 59. Jansen claimed another 4 wickets and the Player of the Match award.
This was how the teams lined up for the first test at Kingsmead, note Gerald Coetzee has been ruled out of thiss match for the Proteas and Kwena Maphaka has been called into the squad.
South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Kusal Mendis (wk), Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando
Recent Head to Head
The most recent series came in South Africa in December 2021 and the Proteas won both matches by margins of an innings and 45 runs at Centurion and then by 10 wickets in Johannesburg
In February 2019 Sri Lanka pulled off an amazing 1 wicket win in the first test at this venue and claimed a series win with an 8 wicket victory at St. Georges.
St. Georges Park, Port Elizabeth
The most recent test match at St. Georges came against Bangladesh in April 2022 and South Africa ran out winners by 332 runs.
Over the course of the last decade South Africa have won 4, lost 2 and drawn 1 of 7 tests at this venue.
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The Betting - 2nd Test Match
At the time of writing South Africa are 1 / 3 to win the match with the draw at 12/1 and Sri Lanka can be backed at around 11/4 with Sportingbet
Note all prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
The Verdict
With one eye on a potential place in the World Test Final the Proteas need to keep up the momentum and on last week's evidence they certainly should.
I'm going to take my chances on Chandimal to top score score in the first Sri Lankan innings and for additional interest I'll nibble at Stubbs to be named Player of the Match
Bets: Top Sri Lanka 1st innings run scorer Dinesh Chandimal at 4/1 with Sportingbet
Player of the Match Tristan Stubbs at 8/1 with Sportingbet
Note all prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
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