COLOMBO, July 29: South Africa go into next week's Test series against Sri Lanka worried about the energy-sapping hot weather, lost baggage, Muttiah Muralitharan and the fitness of prolific opener Herschelle Gibbs.
Gibbs, who twisted his right ankle at a pre-tour training camp in Pretoria, has been ruled out of the first Test in Galle from Aug 4 and remains an uncertain starter for the second and final Test in Colombo a week later.
"He is out for Galle and the physio is working hard to get him going for the second Test," captain Graeme Smith said ahead of a practice session in the Sri Lankan capital on Thursday.
The tourists, who will also play five One-day Internationals after the Tests, have drafted in Andrew Puttick, a 23-year-old uncapped left-hander from Cape Town, as cover for Gibbs.
Meanwhile, star all-rounders Shaun Pollock and Lance Klusener will play a warm-up match from Friday in borrowed clothes after their bags went missing en route from Johannesburg.
The South Africans will use the three-day game against the Sri Lankan Board President's XI to acclimatise to the intense heat and humidity after coming off a two-month break from international cricket and winter back home.
"It's winter in South Africa and we have had just a week of training before coming here," Smith said. "Our preparations ahead of the first Test is really important. We will have to make the most of the time we have."
Smith conceded his team's main threat will be Sri Lanka's star off-spinner Muralitharan, Test cricket's joint world record holder with Australian Shane Warne with 527 wickets.
"We all know Murali is a world class performer and he is going to perform well in conditions which are going to suit him," the South African captain said. "I think he is going to be a handful even without bowling the doosra."
Muralitharan has been banned by the International Cricket Council from bowling the controversial doosra', the delivery that spins the other way from a normal off-break, till tests confirm it is not bowled with an illegal action.
South Africa, who slipped to number three in the world Test rankings after being overtaken by England, will regain their number two place behind Australia if they win both Test matches against Sri Lanka.
"A good tour in Sri Lanka will give us a lot of confidence," Smith said. "This is a real tough place to come and play. We certainly look forward to the challenge." -AFP
