Lanka go to Lahore minus the big-guns (1 March 1999)

1 March 1999

Lanka go to Lahore minus the big-guns

Sa'adi Thawfeeq

The national cricket selectors named Hashan Tillekeratne to lead Sri Lanka in the crucial Asian Test championship match against Pakistan starting at Lahore on March 4 after big-guns, captain Arjuna Ranatunga and vice-captain Aravinda de Silva pulled out through injuries.

The selectors also decided to rest fast bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Erik Upashantha from the team that drew the Asian Test championship match against India at the SSC grounds yesterday.

With Sanath Jayasuriya and Muthiah Muralitharan also out with injuries, Sri Lanka will be travelling to Lahore with a relatively inexperienced side.

Ranatunga is nursing a hamstring injury in his right leg which he sustained while batting on the third day, while De Silva has injured two fingers in his right hand while batting and, pulled a groin muscle while bowling on the fifth day.

Sri Lanka need a minimum of seven points from the match to oust India from second place and qualify for the final against Pakistan at Dhaka on March 12.

Twenty-one year-old Mahela Jayewardene, who scored a career best double century on Saturday, was named as Tillekeratne's deputy.

Chairman of selectors Duleep Mendis said that Jayewardene was picked for the post with a view to the future.

"Our main aim is the World Cup. We have decided to rest the injured players and expose those on the fringe to give us an idea of what our squad should be for England," said Mendis.

He said the bowlers who came into the squad would be given an opportunity to prove their mettle in the Lahore Test. Recalled to the squad of 14 are fast bowlers Pramodya Wickremasinghe, Suresh Perera and Sajeeva de Silva, and leg-spinner Upul Chandana.

Left-armer Sajeeva returns to the national squad after losing his place following a disastrous tour to South Africa last year.

He lost his bowling rhythm and confidence, and was a total wreck until former Sri Lanka fast bowler Rumesh Ratnayake (the Cricket Board's fast bowling coach) took him under his wing and started working on him recently. Sajeeva went to the MRF Pace Academy in Madras last month with Ratnayake where former Australian fast bowling great Dennis Lillee fine tuned him to make a successful come back to first-class cricket.

Since his return from Madras, Sajeeva has been amongst the wickets for NCC in the Premier championships.

The Sri Lanka team for Asian Test championship match against Pakistan at Lahore from March 4-8:

Hashan Tillekeratne (captain), Mahela Jayawardene (vice-captain), Romesh Kaluwitharana, Russel Arnold, Marvan Atapattu, Avishka Gunawardana, Pramodya Wickremasinghe, Ruchira Perera, Suresh Perera, Upul Chandana, Ruwan Kalpage, Niroshan Bandaratilake, Chandika Hathurusingha, Sajeeva de Silva.

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