Naveed Nawaz leads 'A' team to England (22 June 1999)

22 June 1999

Naveed Nawaz leads 'A' team to England

The Daily News

The national selectors named Naveed Nawaz as captain of the Sri Lanka 'A' team for their tour of England which begins on July 4. Test cap Russel Arnold was named vice captain of this sixteen member team which also includes two other Test players Ravindra Pushpakumara and Suresh Perera.

Both Pushpakumara and Perera are making a comeback following some good performances in the current Premier championship tournament and will spearhead the Sri Lankan attack along with Mario Villavarayan. Stanley Jayasinghe was picked manager cum coach with Hemantha Devapriya as assistant coach.

The tour will give Sri Lanka a good opportunity to experiment their future national prospects in English conditions and they will open their tour of England with a three-day game against a strong England Cricket Board side from July 4 to 6.

The itinerary includes six four day matches against Lancashire (July 9-12), Essex (July 21-24), Gloucestershire (July 30- August 2), Worcestershire (August 10-13) and MCC (August 17-20). Sri Lanka 'A' will also play four more one day limited over matches against Gloucestershire (July 19), Durham (July 26), FCC Select X1 (July 28) and Somerset (August 15).

In addition Sri Lanka 'A' are down to play another two important games - a one day match against the World Cup semi finalists New Zealand on July 7 and a five-day game against ICC associate member Denmark from August 4 to 8.

The Sri Lanka 'A' team: Naveed Navaz (captain), Russel Arnold (vice captain), Shantha Kalavitigoda, Avishka Gunawardena, Indika de Saram, Chamara Silva, Hemantha Boteju, Prasanna Jayawardena, T.M. Dilshan, Ranga Herath, Nimesh Perera, Priyankara Wickramasinghe, Mario Villavarayan, Ravindra Pushpakumara, Indika Gallage, Suresh Perera, Stanley Jayasinghe (Manager cum coach), Hemantha Devapriya (assistant coach) and Lal Thamel (Physiotherapist).

Source :: The Daily News