October 24 Thursday 2002
Sri Lanka open SA tour tomorrow

KIMBERLEY, South Africa: Sri Lanka set out on a cricketing odyssey that ends with the 2003 World Cup when they start a tour to South Africa with a four-day match with South Africa A at the De Beers Diamond Oval from Friday (tomorrow).

Sri Lanka, the 1992 World Cup champions, will play two Tests and five One-day Internationals in South Africa. 

Following the South African tour, they head back to Sri Lanka for a brief break at home and then across the Indian Ocean to Australia to play in a triangular one-day tournament with home side and England. Their Australian tour ends a week before the teams assemble back in South Africa for the World Cup.

The first task for Sanath Jayasuriya's team will be to prepare for the two Tests in South Africa. They will have challenging warm-up games, with the South Africa A side containing several players with recent international experience and a host of challengers for promotion to the enior national side.

Then they play a Rest of South Africa XI in Lenasia, near Johannesburg, before the first Test starts at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on November 8.

The Sri Lankan selectors opted for six fast bowlers in their 16-man Test squad, leaving star off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan to carry the spin bowling load. Some changes were expected to be made for the one-day series.

Sri Lanka (from): Sanath Jayasuriya (capt), Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Russell Arnold, Hashan Tillekaratne, Jehan Mubarak, Hasantha Fernando, Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando, Sujeewa de Silva, Chamila Gamage, Thilina Thushara, Tharanga Lakshitha, Muttiah Muralitharan, Prasanna Jayawardene.

South Africa A (from): Dale Benkenstein (capt), Neil McKenzie, Jacques Rudolph, Alviro Petersen, Boeta Dippenaar, Justin Ontong, Robin Peterson, Andrew Hall, Steve Elworthy, Thami Tsolekile, Quinton Friend.

Itinerary:
Oct 25-28: v South Africa A, Kimberley
Nov 1-4: v Rest of South Africa, Lenasia
Nov 8-12: 1st Test, Johannesburg
Nov 15-19: 2nd Test, Centurion
Nov 23: South Africa A, Potchefstroom
Nov 27: 1st One-day International, Johannesburg
Nov 29: 2nd One-day International, Centurion
Dec 1: 3rd One-day International, Benoni
Dec 4: 4th One-day International, Kimberley
Dec 6: 5th One-day International, Bloemfontein.