South Africa look to build momentum

There's nothing like a win over Australia to give a side confidence and South Africa will be looking to make it back-to-back wins when they take on Sri Lanka in Brisbane on Tuesday.

Graeme Smith's side were full value for their win over the host side in the VB Series and they are understandably strong favourites at 2/7 (1.28) to earn a second win. Sri Lanka, well beaten by Australia in their opening game, are 5/2 (3.50) to find some form with victory.

On paper, Sri Lanka have it all to do, having won just two of their past 10 one-day matches and still look a bit shell-shocked from their recent hammerings by India and New Zealand. South Africa, in contrast, have lost just two of their last 20 one-dayers and when they put everything together are still one of the best international sides in the limited overs game.

Though Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan are world class bowlers, neither took a wicket against Australia and Murali's effectiveness in one-day cricket is not what it is in Tests, where he can toil away for hours on end and get in his groove. Australia took full advantage by smashing 318 from 50 overs against them and South Africa's batsmen will be looking to do something similar.

Kallis and Smith tipped
Jacques Kallis and Smith, who missed out against the Aussies, are joint favourites at 7/2 (4.50) to top score for South Africa, just ahead of Herschelle Gibbs, at 4/1 (5.00) and Boeta Dippenaar, who did top score against Australia, is a 9/2 (5.50) chance. Justin Kemp and Jacques Rudolph are both 13/2 (7.50) while Andrew Hall and Ashwell Prince are 8/1 (9.00), with Mark Boucher's whose 63 not out helped to secure victory on Sunday, is 10/1 (11.00).

For Sri Lanka, Kumar Sangakkara, their most in-form batsmen of the past few months, in one-day cricket at least, is a worthy favourite at 7/2 (4.50), while captain Marvan Atapattu is next at 4/1 (5.00). Mahela Jayawardene and Upal Thranga are both 5/1 (6.00) while Tillakaratne Dilshan is an 11/2 (6.50) chance.