Kallis doubtful for Australia series

Jacques Kallis is in danger of missing the home one-day series against Australia next month following the return of a serious elbow injury. Kallis had scans on the problem today and the team's medical staff are expected to make the decision on Wednesday to send him home.

The injury, which forced him out of the first Test at Perth before Christmas, flared in the nets in Brisbane on Monday and was worse this morning so he was ruled out of the 94-run loss to Sri Lanka. "It doesn't look good," Graeme Smith, the captain, said. "It looks like he'll be going home, but I'll wait for the medical staff to make that announcement."

Kallis is in doubt for the six-match one-day tournament starting in February and he is likely to be protected for the three Tests against Australia after the limited-overs series. "Jacques looks a bit more serious and he could be out for a decent period, but we are not too sure," Smith said.

The team's injury crisis got worse over the past week with Charl Langeveldt suffering a groin problem that has put him in danger of joining Andre Nel and Makhaya Ntini back in South Africa. Ntini was being considered to rejoin the touring party after passing a fitness test for his knee-hamstring complaint, but Dale Steyn was preferred to give Ntini more time to prepare for the Australia series.

However, Smith hoped Langeveldt would be fit for Friday's match against Australia in Melbourne. "The biggest disruption we have got is getting people fit," he said. "It's a big irritation and every day there is more injury and disruption."

The withdrawal of Kallis forced South Africa to enter today's match with only five bowlers, forcing Smith to back his batsmen to chase after he won the toss and fielded. However, his plan was upset by a poor start as Kumar Sangakkara and Jehan Mubarak posted quick half-centuries against an inexperienced attack and Sri Lanka reached 6 for 282.

"Our basics didn't work for us today," Smith said. "We weren't right with the bat, the ball or in the field." Two poor run-outs of Herchelle Gibbs and Jacques Rudolph effectively finished South Africa's push and gave Sri Lanka their third win in the past 13 matches.

"The last game in Melbourne [Sri Lanka lost by 116 runs to Australia] was not close to our best," Marvan Atapattu, the captain, said. "Today was about the best we can play."