CAPE TOWN: Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews won the toss and decided to bowl at the start of the second test at Newlands on Monday, hoping to make early inroads under cloudy conditions and on a quick wicket.

The wicket has more grass cover than usual at the iconic Cape Town venue and has been prepared to assist South Africa's three-man seam attack as the hosts seek to win a second successive test and wrap up the three-match series.

But their batsmen will now have to weather what is expected to be a difficult first session on Monday.

The home side is unchanged from the team that beat Sri Lanka by 206 runs in the Boxing Day test at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth.

Sri Lanka dropped Kusal Perera and brought in Upul Tharanga to bat at number three.

Bowler Dushmantha Chameera, who made his test comeback after a seven-month injury lay-off in Port Elizabeth, was also dropped in favour of Lahiru Kumara, the teenage bowler who made his test debut against Zimbabwe in October.

The weather is expected to warm-up considerably later on Monday and will be hot over the five days, according to forecasts.