Eranga out of Colombo Test
Shaminda Eranga has been ruled out of the second Test against South Africa as a result of a split-webbing injury
Andrew Fidel Fernando
21-Jul-2014
Shaminda Eranga was barely able to bat in Galle after tearing the webbing on his bowling hand • AFP
Sri Lanka fast bowler Shaminda Eranga has been ruled out for the second Test against South Africa, due to the hand injury he sustained in Galle. He was fielding at mid-off when he tore the webbing between the thumb and index finger of his right hand on day one of the first Test. He was immediately taken to hospital, and had eight stitches sewn in and bowled only nine overs in that match.
Dhammika Prasad and left-armer Chanaka Welegedara are in the Sri Lanka squad as fast-bowling cover, and the hosts may also name another bowler to take Eranga's place in the squad - though that decision has not yet been made. Prasad took five wickets in the second innings of Sri Lanka's most-recent Test win at Headingley, but Welegedara has not played Tests since December 2012.
Eranga has been Sri Lanka's most penetrative bowler in 2014, with 25 wickets at 27.64 and his loss would hamper the hosts' chances of bouncing back from a 0-1 scoreline.
The second and final Test begins at Prasad's club venue, the Sinhalese Sports Club, on Thursday.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent. @andrewffernando