SL_ATAPATTU_CHANDANA_30MAR1996

Marvan, Chandana Will Be Given A Go

By Sa`adi Thawfeeq

Singer tourney in Singapore:

"The World Cup is at the back of our minds now. We will approach the Singer Cup as a new tournament just as we have been doing in the recent past,`` said Sri Lanka manager Duleep Mendis on the eve of departure to Singapore yesterday.

"We are not going to be bothered being tagged as World Cup champions. If we try to do so, we will be only putting ourselves under unnecessary pressure,`` he said.

Sri Lanka are due to play Pakistan in the lung-opener on April 1 followed by a game against India on April 3. India and Pakistan meet on April 5 and the two teams finishing on top at the end of the round robin league will qualify to play in the final on April 7.

The winners of the tournament will receive US$ 30,000, the runner-up, US$ 20,000 and the third team, US$ 10,000.

Sri Lanka will make use of the tournament to give exposure to some of the other members in their squad of 14 who failed to get a game during the Wills World Cup tournament. Sri Lanka retained the same World Cup 14 for the Singapore tournament.

Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga said that batsman Marvan Atapattu and all-rounder Upul Chandana would be given opportunities in the league games against Pakistan and India at the expense of one or two senior players.

Since returning to a heroes welcome on February 18 after winning the World Cup at Lahore, the team have been taxed to the limit with dinners, gifts and financial rewards. These engagements have outnumbered the practice sessions they have been able to put together since their return. The prevailing weather conditions have also not been helpful. It has virtually drained them out of energy.

>From Singapore, Sri Lanka`s cricketers move to the Caribbean for two one-day games in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad to celebrate the Centenary of Queen`s Park CC. They take on the West Indies on April 12 and a Combined Master`s XI on April 13, in two limited-over games.

Sri Lanka will then travel to the USA on a historic visit where they will be pitted in two limited-over encounters against the national team of the United States on April 20 and against the Southern California CA, the following day. As associate members of the ICC, the USA are regular participants at the ICC trophy tournaments. Both these games are expected to generate funds for Cricket Fund 2000.

Sri Lanka are due to return home shortly afterwards and the players will then represent their respective companies in the Mercantile `A` division cricket tournament which is due to start soon afterwards. They will then travel to England to participate in the Festival of Cricket at which event Sri Lanka Cricket Board`s `Cricket Fund 2000` was launched last year.

Sri Lanka are due to play three one-day games against leading county sides during their visit to the UK.

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