Lanka sends SOS for Kountouri

by Sa'adi Thawfeeq

The current spate of injuries the national cricketers are suffering from today has forced the Sri Lanka Cricket interim committee to send an SOS for Alex Kountouri.

Kountouri as we all know was the national cricket team's physio for eight years since 1995 before he packed up his bags and left for Australia where he is now the second in line to Australian team physio Errol Alcott.

During Kountouri's tenure Sri Lankan cricketers underwent the least number of injuries in their history, which saw them win the World Cup in 1996. In recognition of his wonderful contribution to Sri Lanka cricket, the gym at SLC headquarters was named after him.

When national captain Marvan Atapattu suffered from a nagging back injury he went to Kountouri for treatment in Australia early this month. SLC acting CEO Bandula Warnapura said that Kountouri is expected in Sri Lanka during the week and apart from following up on the treatment to Atapattu he would also analyse why the national players are suffering from so many injuries today.

Warnapura said that Atapattu had responded well to treatment and would be fit for the upcoming Test series against West Indies and the one-day triangular against West Indies and India.

Other than Atapattu, fast bowler Nuwan Zoysa (knee) and batsman Shantha Kalavitigoda (shoulder) have just recovered from injuries.

Some of the other national players who are carrying injuries are Farveez Maharoof (knee), Tillakaratne Dilshan (shoulder), Nuwan Kulasekera (back) and Prabath Nissanka (knee).