Their preparation for this important fixture was quite successful having completely dominated their three-day game against the Sri Lanka Board President's XI concluded at Moratuwa on Thursday. Their top order in the batting line up clicked well and the bowlers too seem to have found their rhythm.
The Sri Lanka 'A' team of course will have the services of test cap Chaminda Vaas who will come out for the first time in an international match after his recent ankle operation in South Africa. The medium paceman has been included in the team to have a look on his bowling after the operation and is expected to join the Sri Lanka national team in England.
Vaas has been out of action since Sri Lanka's two-Test tour of South Africa early this year and missed the three-Test home series against New Zealand and the Singer-Akai Nidahas trophy tournament.
But the Sri Lanka 'A' team will depend heavily on test leg spinner Malinga Bandara and Tilan Samaraweera. Both will be quite anxious to prove themselves after the rain hit first Test at Asgiriya, Kandy. The Sri Lanka batting revolves around openers Upeka Fernando and Avishka Gunawardena with Sanjeewa Ranatunga, skipper Sajith Fernando, Manoj Mendis and Malinda Warnapura forming the middle order.
The South Africans will be hoping for another good batting display after having piled up a massive total of 471 in the three day warm up encounter. Opener Mark Bruyns, Derek Crookes and test cap Herschelle Gibbs will be out for a repeat performance that will give them the advantage of forcing a result. Their final eleven however will be selected shortly before the start of the game.
The teams:
Sri Lanka 'A': Sajith Fernando (captain), Avishka Gunawardena, Upeka Fernando, Sanjeeva Ranatunga, Manoj Mendis, Malintha Warnapura, Chaminda Vaas, T. M. Dilshan, Tilan Samaraweera, Indika Gallage, Malinga Bandara. Reserves: Indika de Saram, Eric Upashantha and Ruchira Perera.
South Africa 'A' (from): Dale Benkenstein (captain), Nicky Boje, Mark Bruyns, Herschelle Gibbs, H. D. Ackerman, Loots Bosman, Martin Van Jaarsveld, Ashwell Prince, Nic Pothas, Derek Crookes, Herman Bakkes, Alan Dawson, Henry Williams, Claude Henderson.