Preview le Leas Telford
The most recent of the regular test fields in South Africa are the South African ones of them all. South Africa special, ie For there are many. On a weekend afternoon here, braai mist draws a fragrant cover over the ground, the grassy ridges hum with beery thanks, and conversations sweeping in, for the most part, African.
But strangers are welcome. Even the opponents are treated with more respect by Centurion than for many other reasons. Except there will be no crowd on Saturday for the game against Sri Lanka, the first Test was played in South Africa since Covid-19 changed everything about the world and how we live there. So there will be no gracious reception from the locals to take the edge off the situations, which would be especially good for a seemingly South African source of quality fast archers.
Batting in the first four-and-a-half sessions at Centurion is often an exercise in survival. And it’s a good idea to survive. Because in the next four and a half sessions batters will be more successful than they would be elsewhere. The playground loses its sting and the outdoor arena, usually fast, has hardened in the sun and even faster. So while they’ve been 14 hits of more than five hotel wikis in the 25 Tests played here, there have been six scores of more than 150 – two of them double centuries.
Add to that all that welt of clouds banking on the horizon early in the day, lightning bolts screeching across the sky as tea approaches, and more on the strange storms of biblical rations in the third session. In the open news box, date reporters have ended up typing wildly as they courted under their desks with their shirts slid over their heads to make themselves known. keep as safe as possible and their laptops something as dry.
Centurion’s cricket drama Test has theatrical quality, and South Africa’s heroes are usually the heroes of the piece. Of those 25 Tests they have played here since November 1995 they have only lost two. Sri Lanka have faced him in four games and they have all been beaten, twice by innings.
But you have to go 21 places down the list of the best bowling performances in a hotel at Centurion to find the first one against Sri Lanka – Vernon Philander 5/53 in December 2011. The only other Lankan entry on this side of the equation in which Allan Donald ‘s top 30 is 5/54 in March 1998, the only game in which Muttiah Muralitheran took 5/63. 111 Shaun Pollock in January 2011, 103 Daryll Cullinan in March 1998 and another 103, by Neil McKenzie, also in January 2001, are the same centuries scored against Sri Lanka at Centurion.
Hashan Tillakaratne’s undeveloped 104 in November 2002 is the only hundred of them here. Tillakaratne fought for five and a half hours and faced 231 balls for his prize. But let’s not say that dour innings considering Centurion was also a 161-ball 97 ball with AB De Villiers against New Zealand in April 2006 and Kumar Sangakkara’s 98 in January 2001, which delivered 215 deliveries.
So, for all Centurion ‘s strong obedience to the cause of South Africa, Sri Lanka has had times. But they were only far apart. They will be able to break the duck at the floor, can they put enough of them together this time.
153 Kusal Perera who was not out at Kingsmead on Sri Lanka’s previous tour of the country, in February last year, blamed a new direction for his team’s history in South Africa and took on the first Asian side that won a test series here. But a smooth, flabby Kingsmead is not a Centurion. Kusal has a class on his feet, as it must be if he is going to repeat his 2019 heroes in this game. Lahiru Kumara, smart but erratic, could be the Lankan ‘s best hope of matching the home side in the distance division.
Both teams are playing their first Test on coronavirus era, but the South Africans are also going where they are not since Faf du Plessis fired the captain in February. Quinton de Kock has big boots, which replaced him for the summer. He has played 215 internationals in all forms, but has never been a captain in a first-class game. De Kock must find a way to win despite an inexperienced distance attack and a strong batting line of sturdiness but a light on talent.
Centurion will let South Africa start as they please. But they must work to maintain that status.
When: Saturday 26 December 2020. 10am Local Time
Where: SuperSport Park, Centurion
What to expect: Fast, kick and swing for the first day or so, smooth for the next day or so, up and down for the rest of the game. A major thunderstorm is expected in the afternoon. Probably every evening. But, usually, just for an hour.
Team news
South Africa
The removal of Beuran Hendricks from the equation and the absence of Kagiso Rabada due to groin snoring will alter the appearance of a similar South African attack. Also, Lungi Ngidi and Glenton Stuurman are trying to get over minor physical issues. An all-seam approach might be an option if that wasn’t the case, but certainly not now.
XI possible: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Faf du Plessis, Quinton de Kock, Temba Bavuma, Dwaine Pretorius, Anrich Nortje, Keshav Maharaj, Glenton Stuurman, Lungi Ngidi.
Sri Lanka
Angelo Mathews is out with the leg injury and Oshado Fernando misses the first Test due to an ankle problem. Suranga Lakmal is skeptical of the terrible stress he suffered during Wednesday’s training.
XI possible: Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Minod Bhanuka, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya De Silva, Dilruwan Perera, Niroshan Dickwella, Lasith Embuldeniya, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara.
What they said
“There will be a little more kick, a little faster. We’re definitely going to use it to our advantage but we don’t want to take it away. You don’t want to get into a game thinking you are going to bomb the boys out and that won’t happen. ” – Anrich Nortje will try to reduce his commitment to bowling at Centurion
“We’re playing for the first time after Covid, so there’s a couple of new things. We’re learning how to play out of a bubble. But we’re not worried about it. Covid; we just want to play good cricket and enjoy the time we are here. We are not talking or thinking about Covid. “- Dimuth Karunaratne denies the virus face.