Match Facts

January 28, 2017
Start time 10.00am local (0800GMT)

Big Picture

There has been a shift in mood for Sri Lanka's tour over the last few days. Despite losing Angelo Mathews they impressively secured the T20 series - their first piece of silverware in South Africa - with a heart-stopping chase at Newlands. A trip that was threatening to be forgettable has been given a new lease of life.

However, this one-day series could be a significantly greater challenge. After AB de Villiers' return for the final T20 - where it looked like he'd never been away, despite Russell Domingo saying he was as nervous as on debut - a host of other big guns are back following their post-Test-series break.

A side that includes Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis and Kagiso Rabada - alongside de Villiers - has a daunting look about it. The last time they played ODIs, they steamrollered Australia 5-0 who earlier in the year had managed to upend Sri Lanka at home. Such is the batting strength now available that stand-in T20 captain Farhaan Behardien is unlikely to make the starting XI.

Sri Lanka will hope that their mixture of spin and medium-pace can have a similar impact as it did in the T20s where they managed to keep a leash on South Africa's batting. Left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan remains a trump card, while Nuwan Kulasekara brought his experience to show.

For both these sides, this series marks the start of serious preparations for the Champions Trophy and they meet in their opening match of the tournament at The Oval on June 3. Time to lay down a marker.

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa WWWWW
Sri LankaWWLWL

In the spotlight

Once Kagiso Rabada found his range in the Test series he was too much for the Sri Lanka batsmen to handle. The South Africa management is wary of his workload, without wanting to wrap him in cotton wool, and he has had a couple of weeks to recharge his batteries. He went for over 80 in his last two ODIs against Australia so he'll be keen for a more thrifty display. It is a shame we won't get to see him operate alongside Lungi Ngidi after he was ruled out of the series.

Sri Lanka will have their third captain of the tour after Upul Tharanga was handed the armband ahead of Dinesh Chandimal following Mathews' injury. It is a role Tharanga performed in Zimbabwe last year when Sri Lanka won the tri-series. It feels as though Tharanga has been around forever - his debut came in 2005 - and while he has frustrated Sri Lanka supporters as much as thrilled them he has an impressive 13 ODI hundreds. He was used in the middle order in Zimbabwe, but opened in the deciding T20.

Team news

Ngidi will not be replaced in the South Africa squad so that leaves 14 to pick from. Chris Morris' recall adds another all-round option and de Villiers said that the rain that was around Port Elizabeth on Friday ruled out the chance of a second frontline spinner.

South Africa (probable): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 AB de Villiers (capt), 5 JP Duminy, 6 David Miller, 7 Wayne Parnell, 8 Chris Morris, 9 Andile Phehlukwayo, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Imran Tahir

Sri Lanka made some late changes to the squad that was originally announced. Despite his heroics in the T20, Seekkuge Prasanna has been replaced by legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay while Isuru Udana, the left-armer, also makes way. They will need to decide whether to use Tharanga in the opening position where he has had most of his one-day success. If they want some extra pace, Lahiru Kumara is an option - he has yet to play any List A one-day games.*

Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Niroshan Dickwella, 2 Dhananjaya de Silva, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 5 Upul Tharanga (capt), 6 Asela Gunaratne, 7 Chaturanga de Silva, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Lakshan Sandakan, 10 Suranga Lakmal, 11 Jeffrey Vandersay/Lahiru Kumara

Pitch and conditions

Sri Lanka had high hopes in the Test series that Port Elizabeth would be the surface to suit them best, but it was left well-grassed on orders from the home side. The pitches do, however, tend to be on the slower side for one-dayers. There are some showers forecast for the first part of the day.

Stats and trivia

• Sri Lanka have not played an ODI at Port Elizabeth since their 2003 World Cup semi-final against Australia

• In the last ODI South Africa played, against Australia in Cape Town, Rilee Rossouw scored 122. He has since joined Hampshire on a Kolpak deal.

• Such is the inexperience in Sri Lanka's squad that Kulasekara is the third-highest run-scorer behind Tharanga and Chandimal

Quotes

"Even though we feel that we are a more talented and a more skillful and a better group of players than Sri Lanka, we know they are very dangerous at the moment, being very motivated with lots of young talent that can come good at certain times. We are very aware of that."
AB de Villiers

*January 27, 1300GMT: This story was updated to reflect Sri Lanka's squad changes