Three changes expected for today’s game

Chris Dhambarage

CRICKET: Sri Lanka have decided to make at least three changes for their team for the third and final one day international against the touring Bangladesh team at the R. Premadasa Stadium today.

The Lankans have already clinched the series following back to back victories where they triumphed by 70 runs in the first one day at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium last week and again took the second match by a convincing margin of five wickets at the Premadasa Stadium on Monday.

Chairman national selectors Ashantha de Mel confirmed that leg spinner Upul Chandana, paceman Nuwan Kulasekera and middle order batsman Chamara Kapugedera will be given an opportunity to prove their capabilities.

All rounder Chandana missed both one day internationals against Bangladesh and will be determined to make an impact at a venue where he has performed extremely well in one day internationals.

The leg spinner has picked up 42 wickets from 30 matches at the R. Premadasa Stadium at an average of 23.40.

Chandana also returned one of his best bowling figures in one day internationals at this venue when he captured four wickets for 35 runs to guide Sri Lanka to an emphatic victory in the Singer series final against Australia in 1996.

Chandana who made his one day international debut against Australia at Sharjah in 1994 has a tally of 151 wickets from 146 one day internationals with a best effort of five wickets for 61 runs. The 35 year old has five half centuries to his credit with a top score of 89.

He will be making his appearance for Sri Lanka after a lapse of two years having played his last one day game against India at Vadodara in 2005.

Chairman national selectors Ashantha de Mel said that Malinga Bandara will most probably be left out of the team for today’s fixture.

Bandara of course failed to make an impact in this series where he conceded 64 runs for his two wickets from nine overs in the first one day and again he gave away 41 runs for his solitary wicket from ten overs in the second one day match.

Even then de Mel said that he is not surprised with the performance of Malinga Bandara who have had a limited amount of match exposure during the past few months.

He pointed out that Bandara need more international matches to prove his talent and was confident that the leg spinner would perform much better in the coming season.

Sri Lanka will also have to decide whom they should leave out if paceman Nuwan Kulasekera is to make a comeback into one day internationals.

The twenty year old lanky fast bowler will most probably replace Dilhara Fernando or Lasith Malinga who have had a superb series so far.

Kulasekera made a fine debut in one day internationals against England at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium in 2003 and played his last one day against Ireland earlier this year.

Chamara Kapugedera will also make his first appearance in the series and will probably bat at number five or six in place of Chamara Silva or Tillekeratne Dilshan. Chairman de Mel stressed the importance of giving every player an opportunity with a busy international calendar ahead of them.

De Mel added that Jehan Mubarak will continue to bat at number seven although the stylish left hander is a genuine top order batsman.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have played 21 one day matches so far and the former have emerged victorious on 20 occasions and the latter have just a solitary win to their credit.

In fact Bangladesh are on the verge of suffering another clean sweep following their debacle in the Test series which they lost by a margin of three nil recently.

The teams:

Sri Lanka (from):

Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Silva, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Kapugedera, Jehan Mubarak, Farveez Maharoof, Dilhara Fernando, Lasith Malinga, Malinga Bandara, Nuwan Kulasekera, Upul Chandana.

Bangladesh (from):

Mohammad Ashraful (captain), Mashrafe Mortaza, Javed Omer, Mehrab Hossain, Shahriar Nafees, Shakib Al Hasan, Shahadat Hossain, Syed Rasel, Abdur Razzak, Mushfiqur Rahim, Thushar Imran, Tamin Iqbal, Mahmudullah, Farhad Reza, Aftab Ahmed.

Umpires: Rudi Koertzen and Asoka de Silva.

Third umpire: Ranmore Martinesz.

Match Referee: Jeff Crowe.