AUS: McDermott And Lee Out Of Lanka Tour (4 Jun 1996)

4 June 1996

McDermott and Lee out of Lanka tour

Fast bowler Craig McDermott and all-rounder Shane Lee on Monday were left out of Australia`s limited overs side for a four-nation tournament in Sri Lanka, but the tour remains in doubt because of security fears.

Veteran McDermott, who has taken 203 wickets in 138 international one-day matches, was overlooked for a 13-man squad after missing most of this year`s World Cup due to injury.

Lee was also ignored after failing to make an impact at the World Cup in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in February and March.

The remainder of the squad, led by captain Mark Taylor, guided Australia to the World Cup final before losing to Sri Lanka. Fast bowler Jason Gillespie, who replaced McDermott at the World Cup, kept his place in the squad.

But Australia Cricket Board (ACB) chief executive officer Graham Halbish said Australia`s participation in the four-nation tournament in August and September was not certain because of security concerns surrounding the civil war in Sri Lanka.

"Our actual participation....remains subject to a final decision by the ACB on the safety and security of the team in Sri Lanka,`` Halbish said.

Australia refused to play their opening World Cup match in Sri Lanka in February in the wake of a bomb explosion in the capital Colombo that killed more than 80 people.

Zimbabwe and India will travel to Sri Lanka for the four-nation tournament between August 25 and September 8.

Selectors offered McDermott some encouragement that his international limited-overs career might not yet be over.

The 31-year-old Queensland paceman, who returned home from the World Cup after tearing a calf muscle in Australia`s opening match against Kenya, will join the current squad at a three-day training camp in August.

Four other players -- all rounders Greg Blewett and Brad Hogg, fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz and batsman Darren Lehmann -- were also invited to the training camp in Australia.

"A 14-man squad to tour India during October and early November will be named from this group of 18 players after the tour to Sri Lanka,`` Australia Cricket Board chief executive officer Graham Halbish said in a statement on Monday.

Australia will play a one-off test against India and a limited overs series against India and South Africa.

AUSTRALIA - Mark Taylor (captain), Ian Healy, Michael Bevan, Damien Fleming, Jason Gillespie, Stuart Law, Glenn McGrath, Ricky Ponting, Paul Reiffel, Michael Slater, Shane Warne, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh.

Source :: Daily News (http.//www.lanka.net)