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Injury-hit South Africa were on Monday boosted by the news that veteran all-rounder Shaun Pollock will arrive in Sri Lanka later this week following the birth of his second child.

The 33-year-old will reach here on Thursday, missing the first of the two Test matches which starts at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) the same day, team spokesman Gordon Templeton said.

Pollock, however, will have enough time to acclimatise to the hot and humid weather in the Sri Lankan capital before he takes the field in the second Test at the Sara stadium from August 4. The tourists, led by their first non-white captain Ashwell Prince, need Pollock’s experience to tackle the formidable hosts in the absence of regular captain Graeme Smith and leading all-rounder Jacques Kallis.

Pollock’s wife Trish gave birth to the couple’s second daughter Georgia in Durban on Friday and is expected to leave hospital later on Monday, Templeton said. Pollock had also missed a Test match when his first daughter Jemma was born during the fourth Test against England in 2003.

“There was never a chance that Pollock could have arrived in time for the first Test,” said Templeton. “But he will be here for the second game and also the one-day series.” Pollock, a veteran of 101 Tests, is South Africa’s most successful Test bowler and needs six more wickets to reach the coveted 400 mark. He has also scored 3,444 runs.
Source:The News