Pradeep flies home with injury

Sri Lankan seamer Nuwan Pradeep has been ruled out of the tour of South Africa and will return home to recover from a hamstring tear. Pradeep sustained the injury after bowling 10 deliveries in the tour match against the South African Invitation XI in Benoni on Saturday and will be out of cricket for almost a month.

An MRI scan was done and after examining it, physiotherapist Stephen Mount is of the view that Nuwan will be unable to play for another three to four weeks," said Brian Thomas, Sri Lanka media manager. "Team management have requested a replacement player."

With injuries to four other seamers before the tour even started, Sri Lanka have limited options over who to bring into the squad. Two of the wounded, Dhammika Prasad and Nuwan Kulasekara started bowling again recently and former captain, Kumar Sangakkara said they "stand a good chance of coming back on the tour."

Sangakkara himself joined the injured ranks when he tore the webbing between the first and second finger on his right hand during the tour match. He left the field on the second day's play and took no further part in the match and had three stitches put in. After play on Sunday, Sangakkara said he would be monitored but would not play in the Test unless he was fully fit.

Although he has not been cleared to play, there is some positive news after he was examined on Monday. "Doctors feel the injury will heal enabling him to play in the first Test," Thomas said. The first Test starts on Thursday at Centurion.