SA must heed lessons of old trials by Sri Lanka

When eras change, teams confront their toughest challenges. They face trials of adjustment, accommodation and acceptance that one thing has ended and another must begin. Since Russell Domingo was appointed, South Africa have faced trials by Sri Lanka and this quarter-final is another one. The biggest one to date.

Domingo's first assignment was a limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka in mid-2013. It was seen a low-key way to introduce a little-known coach to his new life. There was not much riding on the series, with no World Cup imminent, and very few people outside South Africa knew Domingo despite his domestic credentials - he was in charge of the Warriors' franchise when they won their first two trophies - and his experience under Gary Kirsten.

It did not turn out to be much of an easing-in at all. South Africa were without Dale Steyn for the entire series as he took time off to properly recover from a side strain and Hashim Amla was injured for some of the games. Quinton de Kock featured heavily in the four different opening combinations they trialled, only for South Africa to learn that he needed to work on technique. AB de Villiers was still coming to terms with captaincy and Imran Tahir was not part of their limited-overs set-up. They lost by 1-4.

A year later, Domingo and his men returned to the island, ready to conduct more experiments and see the results of some of the others they had undertaken. Steyn was fit, Amla was fit and Jacques Kallis had recommitted to his goal of trying to win a World Cup. De Kock had reeled off three successive centuries against India and could relieve de Villiers from the wicket-keeping gloves so he could concentrate on his captaincy, and Tahir had become the first choice ODI spinner. They won 2-1.

It seemed like a corner was turned in many of the measurable ways mentioned but what many don't remember is what else South Africa learned from the 2014 series.

That was the series when Kallis made his decision to retire from all international cricket and unburdened South Africa from finding a way to accommodate him. That was also when Ryan McLaren took over as the premier allrounder. He topped the overall wicket-takers' chart in the ODI series and showed the potential to contribute runs in the lower middle-order. His absence is the one South Africa have felt most at this tournament.

The lack of a genuine allrounder has resulted in a batting line-up that is no longer as deep as it could be and has forced the make-up of a fifth bowler from a motley crew of part-timers, including de Villiers. South Africa have been hesitant to shorten their seven specialist batting line-up in favour of an extra frontline bowler such as a Kyle Abbott, even though it has weakened them overall. Whether Sri Lanka, like India and Pakistan, can push those pressure points could be what decides who progresses.

South Africa will look to the recent history against Sri Lanka to remind themselves that they hold the upper hand, but it should also remind them of a few other things. Apart from telling them they could beat Sri Lanka, that series in 2014 taught South Africa the value in persisting with de Kock, how de Villiers has matured as a captain and the best way to balance their side.

If South Africa can apply those things - show faith in de Kock despite the lean run that has seen him become the only member of the top six not to score a century, trust de Villiers to lead by example and not sacrifice a bowler in favour of a bits-and-pieces player - they may find that they can overcome this trial against Sri Lanka, the most important one to date.