Chance for youngsters to shine
Wednesday's encounter could shape to be another meaningless dead rubber in a series already short on context, but Sri Lanka's selectors have stepped in to ratchet up interest, if only among the host nation's fans
Match facts
Wednesday, July 31, 2013Start time 1430 local (0900 GMT)
Big picture
Wednesday's encounter could shape to be another meaningless dead rubber in a series already short on context, but Sri Lanka's selectors have stepped in to ratchet up interest, if only among the host nation's fans. Sri Lanka have named two uncapped players and a young opener to the 15-man squad and chosen to rest three top players. The match will now serve as a trial for the generation coming through, while the youngsters already embedded in the side now have an opportunity to move closer to their preferred batting positions.Form guide
(most recent first, last five completed matches)Sri Lanka WLWWL
South Africa LWLLL
Players to watch
Despite not having played the first two matches, Ajantha Mendis is now the top wicket-taker in the series, with seven scalps at 12.28. As ever, he is most efficient against batsmen who have not played him before, but in the fourth ODI, he also proved capable of exerting control in difficult situations - keeping a flowing Hashim Amla in check during the Powerplays, and then returning at the death to wipe South Africa's innings out. South Africa's batsmen must now be growing wise to his variations, and Mendis' challenge is to continue to remain a threat.Pitch and conditions
The series has spat up four slow tracks so far, and the surface at the Premadasa for Wednesday is unlikely to be vastly different. After a week of rain, the weather has also settled somewhat in Colombo, though the forecast also mentions a chance of thunderstorms in the early afternoon.Team news
Aside from Malinga and Herath, Mahela Jayawardene has also been rested from the side. With Upul Tharanga dropped, Kusal Perera is likely to get another chance to open for Sri Lanka, while Angelo Perera may play his second match in the lower middle order. Shaminda Eranga and Sachithra Senanayake may also get to move off the bench and into the XI.Stats and trivia
- After Sunday's hundred, Dilshan now has the second-highest ODI centuries among Sri Lankans, after Sanath Jayasuriya. Dilshan has 17 and Jayasuriya 28.
- South Africa have not lost an away bilateral ODI series since February 2010
Quotes
"In a series like this, when it's a dead rubber, the youngsters will be free to play their game rather than putting any pressure on themselves."Angelo Mathews on why it's a good opportunity to groom young players.
AB de Villiers states why his team is not treating it as dead rubber
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent. He tweets here