Pitch and new stadium cause concern
South Africa and Sri Lanka prepare for unknown
Cricinfo staff
March 27, 2007

South Africa and Sri Lanka will be entering new territory when they meet in the Super Eights at the Guyana National Stadium on Wednesday. The match is the first of any consequence to be played at the ground, which is outside the capital Georgetown, where workers are still battling to get everything ready.

Rain prevented both teams from practising on Monday and the pitch remained under cover. Mickey Arthur, the South Africa coach, said he hoped the surface would have more pace and bounce than Guyana's old international ground, the Bourda in Georgetown, which was notoriously low and slow.
"We have been told by [ICC pitch consultant] Andy Atkinson that it should have reasonable bounce," Arthur said. More rain was predicted for Tuesday but it is expected to clear Wednesday, although there may be scattered thundershowers.

It is a crucial match for South Africa, who were beaten by Australia in their group decider in St Kitts on Saturday. Sri Lanka carried two points through to the Super Eights after defeating fellow qualifiers Bangladesh.

Graeme Smith said his team would not be haunted by the memories of the 2003 contest, when rain ended play in Durban with the scores tied on the Duckworth-Lewis method. South Africa needed to win and for the second time in successive World Cups were eliminated without losing their final game.

"We haven't discussed it but we haven't forgotten about it either," Smith said. "It has not been a major issue in the team since I have taken over the captaincy."

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