The brownness of the pitch with a few tinges of green may not sway the team selectors to opt for an opening bowler to Pramodya Wickremasinghe, which can only mean that Kumara Dharmasena, who bowls fast off-breaks will form a three-pronged spin attack with Muthiah Muralitharan and Niroshan Bandaratilake. Leg-spinner Malinga Bandara played the part in the first Test.
Dharmasena is also a useful batsman having scored two Test fifties in 17 Tests and averaging nearly 24. His presence will strengthen the batting considerably with Hashan Tillekeratne coming at six, Romesh Kaluwitharana at seven and Dharmasena at eight.
Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga made no bones about being one top order batsman short when his team lost the first Test to New Zealand by 167 runs at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday to trail 1-0 in the 3-Test series.
If at all the team selectors decide to include a fast-medium bowler, the place may probably go to the left-armer Ruchira Perera, although Suresh Perera, a right-armer is also bowling well.
There has been occasional showers experienced here and strong cross winds which should assist the bowlers to drift the ball.
New Zealand maybe forced to change their winning combination depending on the fitness of fast bowler Simon Doull, who pulled a hamstring in the first Test and bowled only three overs in Sri Lanka's second innings. He was expected to undergo a fitness Test yesterday. Dion Nash is the likely replacement for him if he fails.
New Zealand will also have to decide between Bryan Young and Craig Spearman to partner Matthew Horne in the openers berth. Young who made a career best 267 not out against Sri Lanka at Dunedin in 1996-97 has been struggling for form accumulating only 87 runs in five innings on the tour.
The two captains will make the toss with a specially made coin to mark the occasion.
The commencement of the Test will be preceded by an elongated official ceremony to mark the inauguration of the 79th Test venue starting at 8 a.m.
Sports Minister S.B. Dissanayake and Mrs. Dissanayake will be the chief guests, with Education and Higher Education Minister Richard Pathirana as the guest of honour. Galle Mayor Lionel Premasiri and Mrs Premasiri and Southern Province chief minister Mahindayapa Abeyawardana are among distinguished guests who are expected to grace the occasion.
The teams:
SRI LANKA (from): Arjuna Ranatunga (captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardene, Aravinda de Silva, Hashan Tillekeratne, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Kumara Dharmasena, Pramodya Wickremasinghe, Muthiah Muralitharan, Niroshan Bandaratilake, Ruchira Perera, Suresh Perera.
NEW ZEALAND (from): Stephen Fleming (captain), Matthew Horne, Bryan Young, Craig Spearman, Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Adam Parore, Chris Cairns, Chris Harris, Daniel Vettori, Paul Wiseman, Simon Doull, Dion Nash.
UMPIRES: David Orchard (South Africa) and B.C. Cooray (Sri Lanka),
TV umpire: K.T. Francis (Sri Lanka),
Match Referee: Talat Ali (Pakistan).