Injury prone Sanath and two others get the axe
 

BY SA'ADI Thawfeeq

SRI LANKA'S injury prone opener Sanath Jayasuriya was left out of the 16-member squad named for the VB one-day triangular series starting in Australia later this month.

Along with Jayasuriya, the national selection committee which met on Thursday decided to drop opening bat Avishka Gunawardene and fast bowler Lasith Malinga.

Jayasuriya's place has been taken by CCC's tall left-hander Michael Van Dort who has been among the runs in the on-going Premier competition. Although he has played Test Cricket, Van Dort who turns 26 on January 19 has yet to make a one-day international appearance for his country.

The 36-year-old veteran Jayasuriya whose non-selection for the Indian Test series caused a furore back home was selected for the on-going tour of New Zealand. But four days ago he aggravated his dislocated right shoulder following a slip in the hotel bath in Wellington.

Sri Lanka's chairman of selectors Lalith Kaluperuma said that Jayasuriya was not considered for selection for Australia following the report submitted to them by the team physio Tommy Simseck who had ruled him out from bowling for three weeks and batting for a week.

One of the wisest decisions the selection committee took was to drop opener Gunawardene who has been persisted with for too long and has not made any use of the opportunities given to him.

Gunawardene paints a poor picture at the crease with his lazy footwork or lack of it and he would be on top of the list for the worst fielder's award if there was one.

Uncapped teenager Kapugedera who was forced to return home from the Indian Test tour with a knee injury replaces Gunawardene.

Right-arm fast-medium bowler Nuwan Kulasekera who last played in a one-day international three years ago against New Zealand at Auckland replaces Malinga. However, Malinga may yet go to Australia if Ruchira Perera fails a fitness test. Perera suffered a groin injury at practice and underwent a fitness test yesterday in Wellington.

According to Kaluperuma he is due to undergo a second fitness test today before a final decision is taken.

Sri Lanka are due to play eight qualifying round matches against Australia and South Africa in the VB triangular series and if they get through that they will qualify to play in the best of three finals. The tournament starts on January 13.

SRI LANKA SQUAD TO AUSTRALIA: Marvan Atapattu (captain), Chaminda Vaas (vice-captain), Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Russel Arnold, Jehan Mubarak, Muttiah Muralitharan, Farveez Maharoof, Dilhara Fernando, Upul Tharanga, Ruchira Perera, Nuwan Kulasekera, Chamara Kapugedera, Michael van Dort, Malinga Bandara. - [S.T.]