The Sri Lankan batsmen brought up on slow grassless surfaces, where the ball hardly does anything to cause doubts in the batsmens minds, will experience totally different conditions in South Africa. The pitches there are expected to be well grassed and hard, providing enough movement and bounce for the fast bowlers. Unless the Sri Lankan batsmen can come to terms with these conditions, they are bound to experience difficulties in encountering Allan Donald and Co.
Moreover, the two-Test series could turn out to be a clash of the Titans - Aravinda de Silva v Allan Donald. De Silva has been Sri Lanka's most consistent run-getter at Test level in recent times and his contribution with the bat will be of utmost importance if Sri Lanka are to come up with any sizeable totals.
Donald (16 wickets/avg. 16.37), Fannie de Villiers (10/15.40), who has announced his retirement from international cricket, Shaun Pollock (11/21.72) and Lance Klusener (6/32.00) captured 43 out of the 50 wickets to fall in the recently concluded three-Test series against Pakistan which ended in a 1-all draw (1 drawn).
Adapt quickly
In today's environment of professionalism, Sri Lanka need to adapt to South African conditions quickly and get on with the game.
Comparing the two sides, Sri Lanka have a strong and experienced line-up of batsmen than what South Africa can offer, while the host country boasts of a superior bowling line-up. Both teams are equally adept in fielding.
If one goes by the saying that batsmen are there to save matches and bowlers are there to win matches, then South Africa should start the series as clear favourites.
It was the mental toughness which former coach Davenall Whatmore instilled in the players that carried Sri Lanka to a series of victories culminating with winning the World Cup in 1996. Whether such qualities still exist within the team frame work, 15 months after Whatmore's troubled exit, will be known within the next couple of weeks.
One-day form
Although Sri Lanka have maintained their one-day form, they have been unable to achieve the same level of success in the Tests. Apart from beating Zimbabwe 2-0 in the last series played at home, Sri Lanka have been unsuccessful against New Zealand, Pakistan, West Indies and India (twice) in the post-Whatmore era.
Another former Australian Test cricketer Bruce Yardley, who succeeded Whatmore to the post, has been unable to instill new ideas in the team which is still largely carrying on with very much the same policies that were adopted during Whatmore's time.
It would be pertinent for the Sri Lanka Cricket Board to find out what contribution Yardley has made towards the team's success in the past 15 months. The think tanks in the national team are the captain Arjuna Ranatunga, vice captain Aravinda de Silva and manager Duleep Mendis. Yardley however, enjoys the privilege of being invited to sit at selection committee meetings and air his views - something his predecessor was not entitled to.
Pace - decisive factor
Since their return to Test cricket five years ago, South Africa have won their last three Test matches played at Cape Town with pace bowling proving to be the decisive factor.
Stephen Jack, Brian McMillan and Fannie de Villiers took 16 wickets amongst them to give South Africa a seven-wicket win over New Zealand in 1995. The following year, Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock and McMillan took 15 wickets to rout England for 153 and 157 and bring South Africa victory by 10 wickets inside three days.
Last year, Sachin Tendulkar (169) and Mohammad Azharuddin (115) held up Donald and Co. in the first innings, but succumbed to pressure in the second innings as India were bowled out for 144 after being set 427 for victory. Donald and Pollock took nine wickets, and were assisted by the leg-spin of Paul Adams, who took five.
Centurion Park, which has hosted only two Tests prior to Sri Lanka playing there later this month, has also favoured the fast bowlers. After rain ruined the inaugural Test played against England in 1995, Donald, Brett Schultz and Lance Klusener knocked Australia over twice for totals of 227 and 185 in 1997, to give South Africa a win by eight wickets. The trio of fast bowlers took 16 wickets amongst them and only Steve Waugh made any impact, top scoring in both innings with 67 and 60.
Waugh was to recall later one particular Donald over: ``It was a quick and fiery ovr and reminded me of West Indies, in that I got a lot of bruises. I don't think you'll see much better Test cricket than was on show in that over''. Donald scalped eight Australians in the match, while for Australia, Glenn McGrath (6/86) and Jason Gillespie (3/75) were the most successful bowlers.
Lanka's chance to even out
After the Test series, Sri Lanka take on South Africa and Pakistan in a triangular one-day limited-over series from April 3-22. Sri Lanka have a score to settle with South Africa here, having lost to them in the Independence Cup tournament held in Pakistan last year. On that occasion, South Africa clearly outplayed the World champions both in the qualifying encounter as well as in the final.
During the Test and one-day tournaments, several individual milestones are expected to be surpassed by the Sri Lankan players on tour. Wicket-keeper Romesh Kaluwitharana needs another 54 runs to top 1,000 runs in Test cricket, while Ravindra Pushpakumara and Kumara Dharmasena require four and eight wickets respectively for 50 Test wickets.
In the abbreviated game, Roshan Mahanama needs four catches to become the first Sri Lankan fielder to hold a century of catches. His current tally stands at 96 from 185 one-day internationals. Batsmen Sanath Jayasuriya and Hashan Tillekeratne require a further 13 runs and 28 runs to top 4,000 and 3,000 runs respectively. Fast bowler Sajeeva de Silva needs three more wickets to top the 50 mark.
More: No threat to Lankan cricketers
Sri Lanka Cricket Board chief executive Dammika Ranatunga yesterday discounted any threats to the Sri Lanka cricketers on the current tour of South Africa.
Ranatunga said that he was in close contact with United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) managing director Dr. Ali Bacher, and had received assurances that there were no threats whatsoever to the Sri Lankan cricketers.
Ranatunga was reacting to reports appearing in certain local newspapers (not the ANCL group) quoting Sports Minister S.B. Dissanayake that he would consider pulling out the national team from South Africa if there was any threats against it by LTTE sympathisers.
Sri Lanka are currently engaged in a three-day game against Boland at Paarl after which they will take on South Africa in two Tests at Cape Town and Centurion Park and, then participate in a triangular one-day tournament with South Africa and Pakistan.