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by Srian Obeyesekere

At the time of writing, Sri Lanka is to meet South Africa Friday in the first of the 2-Test series at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. Incidentally it will mark the island nation's 128th Test match since achieving Test status in 1981.

For the record, in exchanges between the two countries at that level, it will be the 11th such meeting. Of this, South Africa has won 6 Tests, 4 on home soil and two away as against Sri Lanka's solitary one at home when Shaun Pollock's team last toured here in 2001.

As South Africa look to go one better on that record, Sri Lanka go into the first Test match with Sanath Jayasuriya's charges scenting their best chances of changing fortunes. Not only of realising a dream Test match win on South African soil. But also what would be a historic series triumph.

In a series in which fast tracks offering much movement and bounce will dictate fortunes, interestingly, the Sri Lankans go into the Wanderers match with a change in the opening slot in the batting order for the first time in exchanges between the two countries since 1998.

Instead of skipper, Jayasuriya, who had been opening the batting with vice captain, Marvan Atapattu, it will be Russel Arnold pairing with Atapattu.

This change in the batting order it is that could see a significant strengthening in that department where run making will be so vital. Arnold, who was promoted to open in the third Test match during this year's series against England, rose to the occasion with a fine century. Jayasuriya, who took Arnold's number 5 position, has since shown better concentration down the order. The change comes at a time both batsmen had been experiencing lean runs with the bat in their original slots.

Incidentally, before the England tour an out of form Arnold lost his place to Michael Vandort in a Test match against Bangladesh. But he subsequently regained his place more than anything due to the weight of experience he carries. Ofcourse, Arnold, who used to open the batting for his school, St. Peter's College, Bambalapitiya and club, the Nondescript Cricket Club, had during his form slump shown a liking to open the batting in the longer version of the game where he felt he could do better. He backed it with a century against the Englishmen.

As it is, the tall, lean and lanky Arnold's elevation could well lend the much needed balance to the Lankan batting department. From his schoolboy days Arnold has, as an opener, shown great depth as a stayer in reading the bowling seeing out the overs before getting into his stride. What is his plus mark is the ability the left hander has in building on an innings in going for those big scores.

This could well be the cushion to the batting. Arnold lending solid support to the dependable Atapattu while yet maintaining the right-left combination. Jayasuriya, coming down the order at 5 after Kumar Sngakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, giving the much needed impetus in the Clive Lloyd mould with his flamboyant strokeplay he is capable of sustaining with a dash of innovation he packs as the world's most aggressive one-day batsman.

In effect, this change could be seen as a strong beefing up in the batting while compensating for the hitherto loopholes it was exposed when bowlers had Jayasuriya's wicket in their bag having worked on his weakness of edging or playing on opening the innings. Besides, the Lankan batsmen would find themselves better equipped in coping with the South African seamers which looks slightly depleted by the absence of the likes of Allan Donald while skipper Pollock, who has usually shared the new ball, is expected to give way to Steve Elworthy and Moruantau Hayward due to lack of form.

This advantage and the fact that the top rung Lankan batsmen have all struck form on tour could well be the ideal tonic to the touring team at that level.

And in the bowling department, Jayasuriya could find the balance in pacies Dilhara Fernando, Ruchira Perera and Chaminda Vaas with a fourth expected to be in newcomer, allrounder Hasantha Fernando. Dilhara Fernando is the bowler who is likely to bother the South African batsmen with his ability to bounce to good effect with the occasional slow delivery which has been an effective wicket earner. Perera, with his height, is capable of exploiting the Wanderers wicket.

He carries the credentials of having been among the wickets in the only Test match he played against South Africa in 2000. That was when he was when he was flown in as a replacement for the injured Vaas in the third Test and claimed 3 wickets. But the fortunes in the opening Test could very much revolve around Vaas who opens the bowling.

The left armer did not have the best of series in 2000 going almost wicketless. But interestingly, it is a much improved Vaas who will be doing duty at the Wanderers. He has grown as an experienced campaigner and according to reports reaching home much is expected of Vaas in lending champion bowler, Muttiah Muralitharan that much needed foil to stretch the South African batsmen. The Lankan bowlers will also be looking to exploit form and injury problems to the African batting line up with No.3 Jacques Kallis already a doubtful starter nursing a hamstring injury. How well Muralitharan will be able to buy wickets against a batting department which will look to hit him out of the attack could well determine the impact Sri Lanka's most looked to bowler would make.

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