Injured Aravinda may miss whole series (9 January 1999)

9 January 1999

Injured Aravinda may miss whole series

By Elmo Rodrigopulle

Melbourne Cricket Ground, Friday - Aravinda de Silva, Sri Lanka's champion batsman and vice captain, tore a thigh muscle while going for a quick run and indications are that he will miss the first half of the tour and possibly the whole Carlton and United one-day series.

When de Silva lay on the ground clutching his left leg, it looked as though he had aggravated the leg injury he suffered in Sharjah which took more than a month to heal.

De Silva was rushed for a scan, and thankfully the injury was not as serious as earlier thought. But the healing process will be slow.

Manager Ranjit Fernando said that they would be doing everything possible to get De Silva back into action. He is a very important member of the team, and if we were to lose him, it will be a very big setback, said Fernando.

Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga too was a very worried man and said that they will have to rethink strategy if De Silva is ruled out.

According to the manager, they have asked for a replacement. The replacement is Mahela Jayawardena.

President of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka Thilanga Sumathipala who is here with Chief Executive Dhammika Ranatunga on their way to the ICC meeting in Christchurch, New Zealand said that they will not want to risk Aravinda de Silva by rushing him into the tournament if he is not fit.

Our priority is to have him in peak condition in England where we will be defending the World Cup. We will show him to the best possible specialists here and have them to treat him and get him going, said Sumathipala whose mission is to see his men retain the World Cup.

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