SA, Lanka seek ODI revival

South Africa and Sri Lanka are hoping to recover from recent setbacks in one-day cricket when they contest a five-match series starting in Colombo on Saturday.

Both teams were knocked out in the semifinals of the recent ly concluded Champions Trophy despite being rated as two of the strongest contenders in the eight-nation tournament. Dinesh Chandimal, 23, will lead the Islanders in the first two matches against South Africa after regular captain Angelo Mathews was handed a two-match ban for his team’s slow over-rate in the West Indies tri-series.

Sri Lanka will miss frontline seamer Nuwan Kulasekara, who sustained a finger injury in the West Indies, for the first two games. Batsman Jehan Mubarak  has been recalled after four years.The tourists will be without injured duo Dale Steyn and Graeme Smith while veteran all-

rounder Jacques Kallis prolonged a self-imposed break after sitting out the Champions Trophy.