Youth and experience to meet English
Elmo RODRIGOPULLE reporting from England
Now that the Npower Three Test series against England are over and
their services no more required, six players will leave the Test squad
and Farveez Maharoof who was recalled when Nuwan Pradeep was injured,
will rejoin Lancashire and continue his county contract.
The six players bidding adieu are - Thilan Samaraweera, Rangana
Herath, Tharanga Paranavitana, Prasanna Jayawardena, Chanaka Welegedera,
and Lahiru Thirimanne.
Saying hello and joining the Twenty20 and one day squad are – Sanath
Jayasuriya, Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Thilana Kandamby, Nuwan
Kulasekera, Dinuk Karunaratne and Jeevan Mendis.
Surprising omissions from the one day squad are Samraweera and Herath
who were regulars in the 2011 World Cup squad when Sri Lanka came second
to India the ultimate winners in India. That’s inexplicable.
Jayasuriya’s inclusion has been interesting and when he takes the
field in the Twenty20 in Bristol and the First one-day at the London
Oval will receive loud cheers in recognition of his great efforts for
his country and he has promised to go out in a blaze of glory.
I met him at the Rose Bowl after a net and did he not look a picture
if fitness. He was all muscle and looked like Roy Fredricks the former a
West Indian left handed opener who pulverized all opposing attacks in
1970s. ‘I am fit as a fiddle and I am determined to prove my critics
wrong with a batting display of old’, he said.
‘My final game will be at the Oval. That is where I tortured the
England attack with a double hundred. This being my happy hunting
ground, I am looking forward to play another innings that all cricket
fans who fill the Oval will be thrilled and will remember Sanath Teran
Jayasuriya.
The good news from the Sri Lankan camp is that skipper Tillekeratne
Dilshan’s fractured thumb is improving. ‘We are assessing his injury
daily. Whether he will be fit to play in the Twenty20 is still
uncertain. At the moment we do not want to risk him. Hopefully he could
be fit for the first one dayer, said chief selector and selector on tour
Duleep Mendis.
Also good news filtering from the Sri Lankan camp is that all rounder
Angelo Mathews is back to full fitness and been cleared to play against
sauce county Worcestershire. The Sri Lankans missed him very badly in
the Test series and his presence will add muscle to the team.
The Lankans who lost the Test series one-nil to England are
determined to play at their best in the limited-over series, beat the
British lions in their own den and go back with their heads held high
and adding to their prowess in the ‘cowboy’ game. London, Wednesday
|