Pollock back to boost South Africa

Experienced pace bowler Shaun Pollock returns for South Africa as they seek to bounce back against Sri Lanka in the second Test, starting on Friday.

Pollock will strengthen a bowling attack that conceded 756 runs in the first innings of the first Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

The 33-year-old, who missed the first Test after staying home for the birth of his second daughter, has urged his team mates to raise their game after they lost by an innings and 153 runs on Monday.

"We should not be thinking too much about what happened," Pollock told reporters. "Instead we must draw a line under it and look ahead.

"From the reports we've heard, the pitch for the second Test is going to be even lower and slower than the first, but there's no point dwelling on the negatives.

"We just have to get on with it and prepare ourselves for a hard, patient fight going right down to the final session on day five."

Pollock, a veteran of 101 Tests, is set to replace pace bowler Andre Nel, the most lacklustre of the tourists' seamers.

No further changes are expected, although the fitness of Herschelle Gibbs will be watched carefully as he recovers from a stomach bug.

Sri Lanka will also welcome back left-armer seamer Chaminda Vaas, a high-class performer in subcontinental conditions.  

The 32-year-old has recovered fully from a hamstring injury first sustained in England.

"Vaasy is fit and bowling extremely well in the nets," skipper Mahela Jayawardene told reporters.

"We all know what a superb bowler he is and having him back is a huge bonus."

The rest of the 15-man squad has been declared fit despite a couple of minor niggles and the biggest selection dilemma will be the make-up of the bowling attack.

A turning pitch has been predicted at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium, the home club of Muttiah Muralitharan and all rounder Farveez Maharoof is the likeliest of the seamers to be left out.

Teams:

Sri Lanka (from): Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Kumar Sangakkara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Kapugedera, Michael Vandort, Farveez Maharoof, Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Malinga Bandara, Prasanna Jayawardene, Rangana Herath.

South Africa (from): Ashwell Prince (capt), Andrew Hall, Hashim Amla, Nicky Boje, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, Boeta Dippenaar, Herschelle Gibbs, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock, Jacques Rudolph, Dale Steyn, Thandi Tshabalala.