South Africa’s Amla set for historic Test

GALLE: Hashim Amla will make history on Wednesday when he takes the field as South Africa´s first permanent non-white skipper, helming a team in transition after the retirements of Test greats Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis.

Amla, a devout Muslim, was named captain last month after Smith retired from international cricket, signalling the end of an era which saw him lead out the Proteas a record-breaking 109 times over ten years.

Thirty-one-year-old Amla is the first non-white player to captain the Test side in a full-time capacity -- Ashwell Prince has skippered on a stand-in basis.

His appointment was seen in race-conscious South Africa as evidence that cricket there is serious about racial transformation.

A two-Test series against Sri Lanka in Galle starting Wednesday is Amla´s first assignment as South Africa look to rebuild in the absence of Smith, all-rounder Kallis and experienced wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.

Amla, who has often shied away from the public eye, has urged patience, saying it will take time for a successful new side to gel. "It´s a newish team with a few new names. It took the previous team a few years before we found a winning combination," said Amla, who smashed two centuries in the three-match one-day series against Sri Lanka.

"It will be naive to think it won´t take time before we find another winning combination," he cautioned, adding that "not many teams go to Sri Lanka and dominate".

The visitors go into the Tests on the back of their maiden ODI series victory in Sri Lanka, having won the third and final game in Hambantota on Saturday to clinch the three-match series 2-1.