Lanka under 19 cricketers to tour UK

BY SA'ADI Thawfeeq

HAVING gone through a rigorous process of selection the final 14 players were picked to represent Sri Lanka under 19 on their cricket tour of England starting next month.

Josephian all-rounder Angelo Mathews was selected to lead the side with Sameera Soysa of Maliyadeva, Kurunegala as his deputy.

Chairman of selectors Lalith Kaluperuma said that the criteria for selection was that the 32 players from which the final squad was selected should be eligible to play in the 2006 under 19 World Cup in February-March which will be hosted by Sri Lanka.

"This was a prior arrangement made with our English counterparts who will also follow the same criteria on selection," said KaLuperuma.

Initially 60 players first went through an elimination process where former Sri Lanka cricketers Norton Fredrick and Muttiah Devaraj had the task of reducing the pool to about 31 players. They were joined by an ongoing under 17 pool of a further 31 players making it 62.

The national selectors took over from there onwards and after a series of trial matches which included 3-day, 2-day and one-day games the pool was finally reduced to 32.

Kaluperuma said this pool would continue to function until the under 19 World Cup and that during the schools cricket season further additions would be made to it if required. Kaluperuma was optimistic that the squad picked for England would produce future Sri Lanka cricketers.

"I was very much impressed with the middle order batting and the fast bowling department," said Kaluperuma.

The middle-order batting comprises Sameera Soysa, Dimithri Siriwardena, Sachitra Serasinghe, Dilhan Cooray, Prabudha Perera and Lahiru Peiris.

The three genuine fast bowlers Charles Fernando, Chathupama Gunasingha and Nuwan Liyanapathirana will be supported by two fast bowling all-rounders Mathews and Shalika Karunanayake.

The spin department is handled by Serasinghe (off-breaks) and Sajith Pathirana (left-arm spin).

The team is scheduled to leave for England on July 15 and play a series of two 4-day tests and three under 19 one-day internationals against England under 19 in addition to two 3-day side games.

Sumithra Warnakulasuriya will accompany the team as coach and Ashley de Silva as manager.

SRI LANKA UNDER 19 TEAM

TO ENGLAND:

Angelo Mathews, captain (St. Joseph's, Colombo), Sameera Soysa, vice-captain (Maliyadeva, Kurunegala), Dimithri Siriwardena (Royal), Suchitra Serasingha (Nalanda), Dilhan Cooray (St. Sebastian's, Moratuwa), Prabudha Perera (St. Peter's), Ashan Peiris (S. Thomas', ML), Chathura Herath (Ananda), Lahiru Peiris (St. Peter's), Shalika Karunanayake (Maliyadeva, Kurunegala), Charles Fernando (St. Sebastian's, Moratuwa), Chathupama Gunasingha (Richmond, Galle), Nuwan Liyanapathirana (Wijeya, Matale), Sajith Pathirana (Trinity, Kandy).

Standbys: S.M.A. Priyangana (Nalanda), Madheva Warnapura (Nalanda), Jehan Fernando (St. Sebastian's, Moratuwa), Rajeeva Weerasinghe (St. Joseph's, Colombo), Malinga Pushpakumara (Lumbini), Andy Solomons (St. Thomas', Kotte), Dimuth Karunaratne (St. Joseph's, Colombo).