Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva and Roshen Silva – all incumbents in the Sri Lanka Test top order – will play the two-day warm-up game against South Africa in Colombo.
Essentially, this is an attempt to get the three batsmen into form, and perhaps give them a sighting of the South Africa attack before the Test series begins. Mathews had to leave last month’s tour of West Indies after the first Test to attend the birth of his second child, while Roshen and Dhananjaya were short of runs in the Caribbean, having each averaged below 15.
The match may also be an audition for Danushka Gunathilaka, with Sri Lanka mulling their options as to who might open the innings alongside Dimuth Karunaratne. Gunathilaka has been named in the Test squad but does not have a steady place in the XI, having failed to impress on the occasions he has played.
The bowling talent in the Board XI, meanwhile, is decidedly second string, with Sri Lanka reserving their frontliners for the Tests. The match will be played on Saturday and Sunday at the P Sara Oval in Colombo.
Sri Lanka Board XI: Angelo Mathews (capt), Dhananjaya De Silva, Kaushal Silva, Danushka Gunathilaka, Roshen Silva, Minod Bhanuka (wk), Avishka Fernando, Kasun Madushanka, Lasith Ambuldeniya, Vimukthi Perera, Asitha Fernando
Source: ESPN Crickinfo