Lanka star to skip series (6 February 1999)

6 February 1999

Lanka star to skip series

The Daily News

Injured Sri Lankan star Sanath Jayasuriya will sit out his side's next series to guarantee his fitness for the World Cup.

The opening batsman flew into Melbourne and headed straight for Victoria House private hospital where surgeons inserted a plate in his fractured right arm.

The bone, cracked just above his wrist, has moved slightly but not separated, meaning a faster rate of recovery.

Jayasuriya retired hurt with a quick-fire 50 against his name in Sri Lanka's one-day loss to Australia in Perth, after being struck by a rising Brendon Julian delivery.

With his protective arm shield out of position, a slight gap between the guard and his batting glove left Jayasuriya's forearm at the mercy of the unpredictable WACA pitch.

"I knew as soon as it hit that it was broken," Jayasuriya said.

"The arm shield was just up too high. I had been trying to pull it down during the match, but it had crept up again and left that gap of about three inches.

"The ball did hit the arm shield too, but it hit the arm at the same time.

"The way the ball bounced up, that gap was enough.

"Right from the first ball the ball had been keeping down and jumping up with uneven bounce. You can't say it was a good wicket."

With his Australian tour now over, Jayasuriya said he might sacrifice Sri Lanka's upcoming Test series against India and Pakistan to gain full fitness before the World Cup in May.

"They said it will take four weeks, so it is better than I expected because we thought it would be about six," he said.

"We can start (strengthening) work straight away, so that will speed things up.

"I think it will probably put me out for the Asian Championship. They are starting at the end of February. It might be wiser to let it heal before the World Cup".

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