South Africa aim to stop losing habit

COLOMBO: South Africa could equal their longest ever one-day losing streak if they fall to Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

The tourists are 4-0 down in the series going into the final match, one loss short of their record 1994 losing run.

However, coach Eric Simons played down reports he would quit, saying: "I am completely committed and determined to turn things around.

"I dealt with the team and assured them that I had no intention of jumping ship and deserting them."

South Africa's longest last one-day win came at the start of the series in New Zealand in February.

Their ninth defeat came on Saturday to a Sri Lanka side resting four leading players, including captain Marvan Atapattu.

And Atapattu could miss the final match as well as his daughter is ill.

Sri Lanka are likely to go into the game with three fast bowlers, with Nuwan Zoysa, replacing Lasith Malinga.

"The boys are very keen to finish it off on a winning note because we have done so much of hard work," said stand-in skipper Mahela Jayawardene

"The Champions Trophy is very important but we are also looking to win all the matches to keep confidence high."

Sri Lanka (from): M Atapattu (Capt), M Jayawardene, S Jayasuriya, S Jayantha, K Sangakkara (Wkt), TM Dilshan, D Fernando, U Chandana, C Vaas, N Zoysa, K Lokuarachchi, L Malinga, F Maharoof, A Gunawardene, R Herath.

South Africa (from): G Smith (Capt), M Boucher (Wkt), N Boje, A Dawson, JP Duminy, H Gibbs, J Kallis, L Klusener, M Ntini, C Langeveldt, R Peterson, S Pollock, J Rudolph, M van Jaarsveld.