Spinners await SA, but pace bowlers also want their turn
● When confronted with a trip to Asia, the significant matter of spin sends shivers down a touring team’s spine. And rightly so.
Sri Lanka is no different to Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and the Johnny-come-latelies that are Afghanistan.
However, their spin stocks are thin when Rangana Herath’s advanced age doesn’t allow him to get through a series.
The group that follows after Herath — Akila Dananjaya, Dilruwan Perera and Jeffery Vandersay — aren’t the type to make a team quake in their boots.
However, a new breed of Sri Lankan pace bowlers that thrived in the West Indies could ask serious question of the Proteas’ new middle order in South Africa’s first series in AB de Villiers’ permanent absence.
Suranga Lakmal (31) may be the wise head in the trio but Lahiru Kumara (21) and Kasun Rajitha (25) are no mugs with the new ball.
The pitches in Trinidad, St Lucia and Barbados may have varied from the slow to volatile green-tops but Sri Lanka’s pacemen exhibited a diligence and skill not normally associated with them.
In a drawn series where Sri Lanka became the first Asian team to win a test at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Kumara (17 wickets at 19.88), Lakmal (12 wickets at 21.33) and Rajitha (11 wickets at 14.54) bowled with exceptional pace, intelligence and hostility.
Their respective economy rates of 3.12, 2.31 and 2.66 also displayed an ability to bowl dry. This is an important quality in Asia where fast bowlers are normally seen as cannon fodder.
Former Proteas speedster — and newly appointed Warriors assistant coach — Mfuneko Ngam said the effectiveness of the Sri Lankan pacemen should not be disregarded despite the slower nature of their surfaces.
While spin has always been South Africa's nemesis on the island, a Chaminda Vaas six/fer at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo in the second test of the 2004 series led the hosts to a series-clinching 313run win . “The Sri Lankan bowlers, especially Lakmal and Kumara, will know what they’re up against in terms of the South African batsmen, and they bowled pretty well against them when they toured here in 2016/17. When you learn lessons against a strong team like South Africa and apply them against a weaker side like the West Indies, you’ll always be a better bowler for the experience,” Ngam said.
“Sri Lanka though have a new coach who knows how to turn teams around and they could be turning a new leaf, but I saw enough of their bowlers to know how dangerous they can be on the day.”
South Africa’s top-order has an air of dependability with Dean Elgar and Hashim Amla both having scored tons on the previous trip to Sri Lanka.
Aiden Markram’s explosive start to his test career hasn’t gone unnoticed but there’s the De Villiers-sized hole to fill.
The middle-order occupants in Temba Bavuma and Theunis de Bruyn aren’t untested, but they’ve never been permanent. It shouldn’t come as a surprise if they’re paired but they’ve never played a test in Sri Lanka.
Ngam felt this was a weakness the pace bowlers could exploit if the top-order doesn’t come to the party.
While big scores are generally the norm in Sri Lanka, the island is also known to be quite unfriendly to opening batsmen.
“A player like AB [de Villiers] dealt with wayward bowling — and even good bowling disappeared against him. There could be relief from the Sri Lankan bowlers because of his absence, but they will still have to bowl very well,” Ngam said.
I saw enough to know how dangerous they can be on the day Mfuneko Ngam
Warriors assistant coach