Philander out as Sri Lanka win toss vs South Africa

New South Africa bowling star Vernon Philander was ruled out of the second Test against Sri Lanka starting Monday after failing to recover from a knee injury sustained during training.

With next-in-line Lonwabo Tsotsobe also unfit, Marchant de Lange makes his Test debut as South Africa seek to wrap up the three-match series after an innings and 81-run triumph at Centurion in which Philander claimed 10 wickets.

Sri Lanka won the toss and captain Tillakaratne Dilshan elected to bat at Kingsmead -- the only South African Test venue where his country have avoided defeat on previous tours.

"It looks like a good batting wicket and there will be no excuses if we do not perform. We have a game plan and must stick to it," said the skipper of a team seeking its first Test win this year.

The tourists also showed one change from the first Test -- which lasted less than three days -- with wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal winning his first cap in place of Kaushal Silva.

South Africa captain and opening batsman Graeme Smith admitted he would also have batted first given the choice as the Proteas seek to improve on a modest record in the Indian Ocean city.

Teams

South Africa: Graeme Smith (capt), Jacques Rudolph, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher (wk), Marchant de Lange, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir

Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), Tharanga Paranavitana, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Thisara Perera, Rangana Herath, Dilhara Fernando, Chanaka Welegedara

Umpires: Steve Davis (AUS), Richard Kettleborough (ENG)

TV umpire: Rod Tucker (AUS)

Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

Live Score: Yadav gets rid of Ponting

10:05 a.m. Ponting dismissed! Yadav it is once again who provides India their third wicket after a 113-run partnership between Ponting and Cowan. The good-length delivery gets big on Ponting and the ball hits high on his bat. The resultant thick edges flies to Laxman in the slips. Big relief for India.

9:45 a.m. Cowan reaches fifty! Ed Cowan's gritty fifty off 120 balls on debut coincided with his 100-run partnership with Ricky Ponting. India still searching for their third wicket as Australian score swells to 148 for two.

9:20 a.m. Fifty for Ponting! Things looking increasingly up for Australia with Punter reaching his fifty in 67 balls. But Indians have disappointingly been short after lunch, allowing Australia to a solid 138 for two.

8:45 a.m. Australian hundred comes up, in 28.2 overs, with a flurry of boundaries - largely due to a wrong length bowled by the Indians after the rain delay. Anything bowled short has been dispatched to the boundary by Ponting and Cowan. Australia looking good now at 101 for two.

8:30 a.m. Indian bowlers have started erroneously after the rain delay, bowling half-trackers. That has allowed Ponting to help himself to a couple of fours to get going after the break, taking his team to 91 for two.

8:10 a.m. Rain has disappeared from the MCG for now and there is a possibility of play resuming in the next 20 minutes.

7:40 a.m. Unfortunately the umbrellas are up and the drizzle has persisted through the lunch break. So covers are still on and the post-lunch start has been delayed.

6:55 a.m. Early lunch! Umpires didn't wait for the last ball of Zaheer's over as the drizzle got a bit stronger, forcing a slightly early lunch with Australia 68 for two in the 23.5 overs bowled in an intriguing first session.

6:40 a.m. It's Ponting vs Ishant at the moment. But the former Aussie skipper can't discount Yadav and he learned it quickly when the Indian rookie welcomed him with a hit on the helmet. But Punter's body language is looking good and he has come out playing his strokes. Australia 64 for two.

6:15 a.m. Marsh gets a duck! The rain break has done wonders for India and Yadav is doing it all for the visitors. A full-length ball just wide of off-stump and Marsh's leisurely drive away from the body settles into Virat Kohli's palms at point. 46 for two now.

Stuart Marsh c Kohli b Yadav 0 (6)

6:05 a.m. Out! Warner walks back first ball after the drizzle. Cramped for room while attempting a hook off Yadav's bouncer, Warner gloves it and the resultant dolly was safely pouched by Dhoni. 46 for one.

David Warner c Dhoni b Yadav 37 (49)

6 a.m. A passing shower forced the players into their dressing rooms for a while, but just as the covers were brought on, the shower passed and the umpires called the players back in. Australia are 47 for no loss.

5:55 a.m. Warner is closing in on his fifty. He has looked solid and hasn't been afraid of playing his shots, the last of which has been a six over mid-wicket off Umesh Yadav, who has been guilty of bowling short in his three overs so far.

5:30 a.m. Both sides are gauging each other. Where Zaheer and Ishant continue to invite drives by pitching it up, Cowan and Warner - especially Warner - have taken the score to 25 for no loss with a few anxious moments where the ball has went past the bat.

5:10 a.m. Good beginning for Zaheer and Ishant. The former bowled a maiden and the latter almost had Warner when the Aussie opener's inside edge shaved past the stumps for a boundary.

4:30 a.m. TOSS! Australia win it and are batting. The hosts declared their XI a day ahead and India have opted for Virat Kohli ahead of Rohit Sharma in the middle order. Ashwin is the only spinner. Here are the line-ups.

Australia: David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke (c), Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin (wk), Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, Ben Hilfenhaus, James Pattinson

India: Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni (c/wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav

4:25 a.m. Some weather update and a little bit of pitch news. Melbourne weather updates hint of scattered showers. Sounds discouraging but lets hope it stays clear for most part.

The all-important 22 yards, as per the MCG curator Cam Hodgkins, has some grass on it. Won't be bad to lose the toss and allow the opponent take the tricky decision of batting first or bowling.

4:15 a.m. Boxing Day is here and so is the Australian tradition of holding a Test match, this time against India, who will attempt to create history by winning the first Test series Down Under. The majestic Melbourne Cricket Ground is buzzing with energy supplied by a strong crowd, which is expected to grow as big as 75,000 as the day progresses.