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Sri Lanka pool for WC 2011 announced:
Vaas, Sanath set for return
Chris Dhambarage
Sri Lanka's national cricket selectors yesterday named veteran Sanath
Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas in the preliminary 30 man squad in
preparation for the 2011 ICC World Cup which will be co hosted by India,
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Dashing opening batsman Jayasuriya is hoping
to stage a comeback and strengthen the teams batting following his 1996
heroics where he went on to win the Player of the Series award.
The 41 year old left hander who has appeared in a mammoth 444 one day
internationals of course played his last one day match exactly one year
ago against India in New Delhi.
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The Sri Lanka preliminary 30-man
squad |
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Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Dinesh
Chandimal, Tharanga Paranavitana, Lahiru Thirimanne, Sanath
Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Thilina
Kandamby, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews,
Thisara Perera, Farveez Maharoof, Jeevan Mendis, Muttiah
Muralitharan, Suraj Randiv, Rangana Herath, Malinga Bandara,
Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dilhara
Fernando, Suranga Lakmal, Dammika Prasad, Chaminda Vaas, Chanaka
Welegedara, Nuwan Pradeep, Thilan Thushara. |
Jayasuriya has accumulated 13,428 runs with 28 hundreds and 68 half
centuries at a strike rate of 91.22. In addition he has a haul of 322
wickets with a best effort of six for 29.
Meanwhile thirty six year old dynamic left arm seamer Chaminda Vaas
is also hoping to revive his one day international career after retiring
from Test cricket in July 2009.
Ever since then he has been associated in County cricket where he has
excelled as an all rounder while representing the Steelbacks in
Northamptonshire.
Vaas played his last one day international against India in August
2008 at the R Premadasa Stadium. He has captured exactly 400 wickets
from 322 one day internationals at an economy rate of 4.18.
Vaas had the rare opportunity of claiming two hattricks including
three wickets in the first three deliveries of the 2003 World Cup match
against Bangladesh. Legendary off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is
another veteran who has been named in the preliminary squad having
recently retired from Test cricket after claiming a World record 800
wickets.
All rounder Farveez Maharoof has also been named in the squad after
having lost his place last year due to injuries coupled with a series of
poor performances.
The new faces in the squad are opening batsman Lahiru Thirimanna,
Nuwan Pradeep Fernando and paceman Suranga Lakmal who had the credit of
capturing a wicket with the very first ball of the third Test match
against the West Indies at the Pallekele International Stadium.
The 30-member squad will be pruned down to 15 by January 19 which
will be the final squad for the World Cup. |
