Injured South African pace spearheads Makhaya Ntini and Shaun Pollock are the doubtful starters in the opening match of the tri-series cricket series.
COLOMBO: Injured South African pace spearheads Makhaya Ntini and Shaun Pollock are the doubtful starters in the opening match of the tri-series cricket, beginning at the Premadasa Stadium on Monday.
"We will take a decision on Makhaya before the game, but Polly looks doubtful," captain Mark Boucher said at a press conference.
Boucher said Ntini had not yet fully recovered from a hamstring strain and Pollock's lower back was still troubling him and the final XI for the day and night tie against Sri Lanka would be announced just before the match.
"We won't finalise our team till tomorrow afternoon to give ourselves more time to assess the injury situation," he said.
South Africa is already depleted without their regular skipper Graeme Smith, all-rounder Jacques Kallis and Justin Kemp.
Boucher, who took over the one-day captaincy from Ashwell Prince after South Africa lost against Sri Lanka in the just concluded two-Test series, said the senior players would be missed but the younger lot could use this opportunity to be counted.
"We are missing key players but their absence gives the younger players a chance to put their hands up and be counted.
"We have the players to change the game over 50 overs, so it will all depend on how we play on a particular day.
"You can be sure there won't be too many boring games in this series and that should please the fans," he said.
Boucher said South Africa were defeated 0-5 in one-dayers on their last tour in 2004 but they were keen on starting a new chapter, being the number two team in the ICC rankings.
"We want to forget that 5-0 defeat two years ago and start a new chapter. We are very proud of the fact that we are the number two team in the world rankings (behind Australia) and are keen to build on that," he said.
South Africa have won just one of the 11 ODIs in Sri Lanka, so far.
Sri Lanka have also delayed naming their playing 11 due to the uncertain weather.
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