There was initial confusion yesterday surrounding the identity of the replacement for Chaminda Vaas, the touring team's left-arm fast bowler. But Maxwell Jordaan, the team's South African liasion officer, last night confirmed the 19-year-old Nuwan Zoysa, and not Mario Villavaryan, would join the team tomorrow (thurs subs).
All a bit rushed perhaps as the second test of the series in which South Africa lead 1-0 starts at SuperSport Centurion on Friday. But the logistics of Zoysa flying to South Africa are a problem as there are no direct flights between Colombo and Johannesburg,
Yet, as the Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga explained, Zoysa also a left-arm fast bowler, strong and wiry for his age - he turns 20 on May 13 - and would be a welcomed addition to the side, especially the Centurion surface is know to favour fast and seam bowlers on the first couple of days.
``It is better to have a bowler who knows a bit about playing in a Test to one whom we hardly know at all,'' he said. Zoysa made his Test debut as an 18-year-old 12 months ago against New Zealand at Carisbrook in Dunedin, famous for its chilly, wet summer days and has three test caps, the last against Pakistan only a few months ago. His seven wickets have, however, been at an expensive 38.14 with best of three for 47.
Only he has been out of action after serious injury to his left thigh and has not played competitively since then; he has, says Ranatunga, followed a strict physical build-up course designed for him by the Sri Lankan Australian-born physio Alex Kountouri.
It was also confirmed yesterday Zoysa had strenuous net session in front of the selectors on Sunday and has a much tougher trial on Monday when he was given a Sports Ministry medical board clearance.
It has been said that Vaas injured the ankle during South Africa's first innings of the Newlands Test, which Hansie Cronje's side won by 70 runs shortly before tea on Monday. He is being operated on by the Pretoria surgeon who treated Allan Donald for a similar injury and is expected to remain in South Africa for treatment.
Sri Lanka's problem is that they are unable to rely on the fourth seamer with the touring party, Sajeewa de Silva, who has shown erratic form since the tour started. Which means it would be a gamble to play De Silva ahead of Zoysa, who should line up with Ravindra Pushpakumara and Pramodya Wickremasinghe to form the visitors' pace attack in the second Test at SuperSport Centurion.
On the South African front, however, further trouble faces Peter Pollock's nation selection panel in the shape of the fourth bowler in the Test attack.
They have to decide on Friday morning whether Klusener should be brought in for Ntini to give more bite to quartet on a surface where Fanie de Villiers, Steve Elworthy and Tetius Bosch built their reputations.
It'll be a tricky decision as Ntini was found wanting at a crucial stage of the Sri Lanka first innings. Sure he claimed Aravinda de Silva's wicket, but De Silva created his own downfall to a snarling bouncer by ducking low under the ball instead of swaying out of the way.
Yet, if Ntini is to progress beyond his current level of inexperience he will need another crack in the Test side and hopefully learn to pitch the ball up to the batsman. It has been his downfall in the firts-class games he has played this season.
It was almost embarrassing on Monday when Cronje waited until there was only one Sri Lankan wicket needed to clinch the test before giving the ball to Ntini.
There has, so far, been no grumbling over Cronje's reluctance. But winning the match is more important than seeing an eager young player's morale dented by an attacking Sri Lanak lower order batsman out to win the match through decisive strokeplay.