Hectic schedule for Sri Lanka A

Sri Lanka Cricket has announced an intensive schedule for the A team during the first half of 2005, a period when the senior team has an unusually light programme, although unscheduled tsunami matches are being planned. Five Test playing nations will bring their A team to Sri Lanka within the space of a few months and England A will kick it all off with two unofficial four-day Tests in March.

This will be followed by an A team seven-match tri-series also including Pakistan, who will then stay on to play two unofficial Tests as well. They are scheduled to leave on April 14. All the England games, including the tri-series will be held in Colombo, while Kandy and Dambulla will host the Pakistan games. Galle is obviously unavailable, and unlikely to host cricket for 12 months.

West Indies A have then been pencilled in for a tour in June, just before their senior team arrives for a two-Test tour, to play three unofficial Tests. South Africa and New Zealand are due to send sides in September and October (the monsoon season) and will also overlap their tours to enable a tri-series to be played.

The continuous programme will provide an opportunity for young players to push their claims for promotion into the senior team, but first they will need to impress the selectors during the forthcoming Provincial Tournament in February to confirm their places in the A squad.