Tharanga to miss England series

Upul Tharanga, the Sri Lanka opener, has been ruled out of the limited-overs leg of the England tour as he prepares to face a disciplinary committee for failing a drugs test during the World Cup.

Tharanga, 26, tested positive after the semi-final against New Zealand, in Colombo, and Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed he won't be selected for any representative cricket in the short term.

"Since there is an ongoing inquiry to verify this charge, Upul Tharanga will not be making himself available for selection until the conclusion of the inquiry and therefore will not be available for the ODI and T20 matches in England and the Sri Lanka A Team tour of England," a statement said.

Tharanga's absence means Sri Lanka could be without their two first-choice one-day openers against England with the captain Tillakaratne Dilshan also a doubt having suffered a hairline fracture of his thumb in the second Test at Lord's. However, Dilshan is still hopeful of being available for the one Twenty20 international and five ODIs.

The pair had recent success against England, having guided Sri Lanka to a 10-wicket victory in the World Cup quarter-final when they added an unbeaten 231. Tharanga also enjoyed an impressive one-day series on the 2006 tour of England where he hit two hundreds - 120 at Lord's and 109 at Headingley in a record 286-run stand with Sanath Jayasuriya - during Sri Lanka's 5-0 whitewash of the hosts.

There are reports in Sri Lanka that Tharanga's absence could open the door for a surprise return for Jayasuriya who turns 42 in June and played his last ODI in December 2009. "If my services are required, I would be glad as always to give my best," he told the Sri Lankan Daily Mirror.