South Africa and Sri Lanka both have the opportunity to put an end to unwanted records when they clash in the second Test at Kingsmead in Durban on Monday.
|Last Updated: Dec 24, 2011, 10:51 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Durban: South Africa and Sri Lanka both have the opportunity to put an end to unwanted records when they clash in the second Test at Kingsmead in Durban on Monday.
The hosts have not won a home series since they beat Bangladesh 2-0 in 2008 while they have lost three consecutive Tests at Kingsmead.
Sri Lanka have suffered a wretched run of form in Test cricket and have not won in 15 matches with their last victory coming against India in Galle in July 2010 in what was to be off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan`s last Test match.
The Proteas will take a lot of confidence into the second Test after securing a thumping innings and 81-run victory in the first Test and the home side will be anxious to nail down the series before the third and final Test in Cape Town.
South Africa batsman Ashwell Prince said that complacency may have been the reason for the Proteas` recent inability to win home series.
"We`ve had a few opportunities in the last few series to put them away and for some reason or other we haven`t been able to do that. Perhaps there has been a bit of complacency when we have been in good positions," Prince told a news conference.
"But we have another opportunity and hopefully we can kill it off before we go to Newlands," he added.
South Africa`s vice-captain AB de Villiers said that the Proteas poor record at Kingsmead is something that the team are well aware of and will be doing utmost to rectify.
"We haven`t been playing good cricket here (Kingsmead) of late. We want to turn that around and win a few games here, and win this Test match. It`s something that we have talked about," said De Villiers.
Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara felt that his team could draw confidence from South Africa`s poor record at Kingsmead.
"Every test is an opportunity for us to change things around and we need to change it around now," said Sangakkara.
"Losing, like winning, can become a habit. For us to go into this test match, knowing that South Africa doesn`t have a great record here, is good but it us up to us to deliver."
Sri Lanka endured a miserable time with the bat in the first Test in Centurion, being shot out for 180 and 150 in their two innings, and talk out of the tourists` camp is that wicketkeeper/batsman Dinesh Chandimal will make his Test debut in Durban in place of Causal Silva.
The 22-year-old Chandimal has played in 17 one-day internationals and has scored two centuries in that format, including a match-winning 105 not out against England at Lord`s in July this year.
"I think he is one of the fine youngsters that we have found over the last few years," Sri Lanka`s captain Tillakaratne Dilshan said.
"We have discussed giving him a Test debut and he can gain some valuable experience by playing against South Africa`s attack. Personally I think he is good for the team and he can be groomed for the future."
The visitors took a physical and mental battering during their heavy defeat at Centurion and Sangakkara said that it was vital that he and his team mates were in the right mental state for the second Test.
"The difference between the best performing teams and the ones chasing them is probably the mental side of things. It is not skill or technique but being tough when the pressure is on," he said.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.