South Africa win toss, put Sri Lanka into bat in 1st Test

CENTURION: South Africa won the toss and sent Sri Lanka into bat on the
first day of the first Test at Centurion on Thursday.

A pitch sporting a healthy covering of green grass and partly-cloudy overhead conditions should provide plenty of assistance to the pace bowlers on the first morning.

Sri Lanka made three changes to the team that drew their last test against Pakistan last month and will go into the match with just one frontline spinner in left-armer Rangana Herath.

Seamers Thisara Perera and Dilhara Fernando come into the team for Dhammika Prasad and Kosala Kulasekara, while spinner Suraj Randiv makes way for an extra batsman in the experienced Thilan Samaraweera.

South Africa are fielding the same side that lost by two wickets to Australia to end the series in a tie three weeks ago.

Teams:
South Africa: Graeme Smith, Jacques Rudolph, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir.

Sri Lanka - Tharanga Paranavitana, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Kaushal Silva, Rangana Herath, Thisara Perera, Chanaka Welegedara, Dilhara Fernando.
(Reuters)