South Africa vs Sri Lanka – 2nd Test Betting Tips

South Africa and Sri Lanka will clash in the second and final Test of the two-match series, starting from Sunday in Johannesburg.

The home team will come in the match full of confidence after securing a thumping an innings and 45-run win in the series opener and Quinton de Kock will be hopeful that his players will repeat their performances and seal the trophy.

On the other hand, Sri Lanka will be bitterly disappointed with their performance in the first Test where they let go the batting unit’s good work in the first innings.

Therefore, Sri Lankan coach Mickey Arthur will be hoping to see his players producing a much better show in Johannesburg compared to the one they did in Centurion.

South Africa Form and Team News:

After winning the first Test comprehensively, the chances of any significant changes in the home team’s playing XI are very low.

However, Proteas have added left-arm pacer Beuran Hendricks who joins the squad in place of Migael Pretorius, who has been release.

Star pacer Kagiso Rabada’s participation in the second Test, which will start from Sunday, remains doubtful after head coach Mark Boucher hinted that he might opt to give the pacer a rest to maintain his workload.

In the batting department, South Africa will be depending on the likes of in-form veteran middle-order batsman Faf du Plessis, openers Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram, captain Quinton de Kock and middle-order batsman Temba Bavuma to score bulk of the runs.

On the bowling front, the onus will be on the likes of Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje and Keshav Maharaj to produce timely breakthroughs.

Sri Lanka Form and Team News:

On the other hand, Sri Lanka will be bitterly disappointed with their performance in Centurion and a few changes cannot be ruled out.

Left-handed batsman Lahiru Thiramanne might get a game in Johannesburg as Dhananjaya de Silva has been ruled out of the series finale due to injury.

Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera might also be an interesting option for the Islanders for the final game on the tour as Kasun Rajitha will not be available due to injury.

Pacer Suranga Lakmal, who missed the first Test due to a hamstring injury, is still doubtful for the second fixture and he will have to pass a fitness Test before the second Test.

In the batting department, Sri Lanka will be depending heavily on the likes of captain Dimuth Karunaratne, explosive opener Kusal Perera, veteran middle-order duo of batsman Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis to post a decent total on the board and put the opposition under pressure.

On the bowling front, the visiting team will be relying on the likes of Suranga Lakmal, Vishwa Fernando and Wanindu Hasaranga to provide much-needed breakthroughs.

Odds by Casumo

According to the Casumo sportsbook, Quinton de Kock’s South Africa will start as favorites to win this New Year Test at The Wanderers in Johannesburg. For the second Test, South Africa are placed at 1.23 odds, while Sri Lanka at 9.50 odds.

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Our Tipster’s Angle

The first match of the series proved to be a one-sided affair where the home team was too dominant for the opposition.

Even though Sri Lanka did show some fight, at least in the first innings, it is very hard to figure out how and why South Africa will end up on a losing side in the final game of the series.

Therefore, the prediction is for the Proteas to win the match and complete the series sweep.

Tip 1- Faf du Plessis run-scoring spree this season

There is no doubt that Faf du Plessis has been in-form player for South Africa across all formats this season. He was the star performer for South Africa in the three-match T20I series against England played in November.

After relinquishing captaincy duties earlier this year, Faf du Plessis scored a sublime 199 against a decent Sri Lankan bowling unit. It was due to his career-best performance that South Africa managed to score 600 runs in the first Test played at Centurion.

The Wanderers, Johannesburg seems to be a happy hunting ground for Faf du Plessis in Test cricket. In seven matches played at the venue, Faf du Plessis has accumulated 409 runs at a decent average of 34.08, with two-centuries to his name. So we are backing Faf du Plessis to score 60 or more runs @ 2.00.

Conclusion

Expect South Africa to inflict 2-0 whitewash over Sri Lanka in the Test Series.

1. Faf du Plessis to score 60 or more runs – South [email protected]

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