The focus for cricket fans will be on Durban’s Kingsmead Stadium, where South Africa squares off against Sri Lanka in a two-match SA vs SL Test series starting on November 27.
Both teams are looking at stamping their claims for the prestigious World Test Championship finals at Lord’s.
Fresh off a dominant show against Bangladesh, the Proteas face a must-win situation. Sitting fifth in the WTC standings with a record of 4-3, South Africa’s road to Lords calls for nothing but perfection – victories in all four of its remaining Tests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Also read: SA vs SL Match Preview- 1st Test, Sri Lanka tour of South Africa 2024
Sri Lanka, also in third place with five victories and four losses, came in with their own interests. As for the island nation, they look to win their first Test series on South African soil, adding another level of intrigue to this high-stakes encounter.
SA vs SL Weather Report And Pitch Report Of the Kingsmead, Durban – 1st Test, Sri Lanka tour of South Africa 2024
SA vs SL Weather Report Of Kingsmead
Durban hosts the first Test of the SA vs SL Test series, to begin on 27 November at the Kingsmead Stadium, which is known for being a pace-friendly venue. This match would provide an interesting contest between bat and ball.
The weather forecast for the Test in Durban suggests a few periods with sunshine and scattered clouds. Temperatures will be between 24°C and 28°C, which would be great for play.
There is a slight chance of rain interruptions, mainly in the afternoons, which may affect the course of the game. The humidity levels may help swing bowlers; therefore, it is very important to get good batting underway right at the start of the match.
Traditionally, the pitch at Kingsmead has given a lot of assistance to the fast bowlers, especially in the early part of the game.
The new ball would swing and seam, and the first session is going to be important for both teams. As the game goes further, the pitch may ease out and become better for batting.
But spinners may come into play later on in the game as cracks may appear on the surface.
SA vs SL Pitch Analysis
Here are the stats of the Durban:
| Matches Played | 46 |
| Matches Won Batting First | 19 |
| Matches Won Batting Second | 13 |
| Average 1st innings score | 298 |
| Average 2nd innings score | 260 |
| Average 3rd innings score | 258 |
| Average 4th innings score | 197 |
| Highest Totals recorded | 658 |
| Lowest Totals recorded | 53 |
The pitch at Durban’s Kingsmead Stadium typically favors teams batting first, with 19 wins out of 46 matches played.
The average first-innings score is 298, significantly higher than the fourth innings’ 197, reflecting the pitch’s tendency to deteriorate.
Chasing can be challenging here, as seen in the declining averages across innings. The highest total recorded is 658, while the lowest is 53.
Conclusion
The fans can offer a good contest with bat and ball and the weather is likely to be good to play with the temperature hovering around in the mid-20s.