Proteas Poised for Sri Lanka Threat in ODI Series

Sri Lanka vs South Africa

One Day Internationals

Sun July 29^th – Sun Aug 12^th

The Proteas have been left reeling since the retirement of AB de Villiers and the gaping hole he has left in the batting order was widely apparent in the test series as South Africa posted less than 130 in three of their four innings in Sri Lanka as they succumbed to 278 and 199 run defeats in the first and second test respectively. Theunis de Bruyn, playing in just his sixth test match for the national side, notched up a superb century (101 off 232 balls) in the second innings of the second test although it proved in vain as six of his team-mates around him all recorded single figure scores and any hopes they had of salvaging a series draw went with his wicket as Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath ended with match figures of 7 for 130.



South African spinner Keshav Maharaj was the series leading wicket taker with 16 scalps to his name including 9 for 129 in Colombo, has been included in the ODI squad and will be key to his sides chances of claiming the limited overs trophy. Tabraiz Shamsi has also been included after making a swift return to the sub-continent having returned home for personal reason following the conclusion of the first test, while Imran Tahir, voted ‘first-choice spinner for the World Cup’ has been rested. Junior Dala and Reeze Hendricks are the only uncapped players in the Protea side. The Sri Lankas have thrown another spinner of their own into the mix with uncapped Prabath Jayasuriya a late inclusion to the camp.



Sri Lanka have lost nine of the previous 10 One Day Internationals against South Africa since the start of the 2014 series played in Sri Lanka. That was South Africa’s first away series victory over Sri Lanka, at the fourth attempt, having won just three of their last 17 ODI’s played there. The Proteas whitewashed the visitors 5-0 in the most recent series in 2017. Faf du Plessis was the standout player of that 2017 series, scoring 410 runs in his five innings (one not out) at an astonishing average of 102.5 runs per game. He will have to carry the metaphorical baton handed to him by the departed de Villiers as well as the weight of an entire nation on his shoulders.