Sri Lanka News Briefs (1 Oct 1996)

1 October, 1996

Sri Lanka News Briefs

* Sri Lanka team had a three-hour work out on Monday as they prepared for Tuesday`s crucial Kenyan Cricket Association Centenary four-nation tournament match against South Africa to be played at the Nairobi Club grounds.

Sri Lanka, who won the World Cup in March, have not met South Africa even during or after the mega event. South Africa won all their five World Cup preliminary round matches but had a shock defeat at the hands of West Indies in the `quarters`.

The 10-day tournament, billed as the biggest cricket event ever held in the region, will be held at the Gymkhana, Nairobi Club and Aga Khan grounds in the suburbs of Nairobi.

* Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga, on the eve of their crucial KCA Centenary tournament match against South Africa, said in Nairobi on Monday that they will not take any chances and will field the best possible side.

Ranatunga said they still prefer to go as underdogs, despite being the hot favourites as the reigning World champions. He predicted Tuesday`s game to be a close one. Ranatunga said they have come to enjoy themselves, but also hope to gain more experience as they chase their ambition of becoming the Best Testplaying nation by the year 2000.

* Sri Lanka `A` pool re-commences its practices at NCC grounds from Monday in preparations for the forthcoming home series against the West Indies `A` later next month.

The West Indies `A` team will make a month long tour of Sri Lanka commencing from October 27. Marvan Atapattu, Sanjeeva Ranatunga, Ruwan Kalpage, Chamara Dunusinghe, Eric Upashantha and Jayantha Silva are the most experienced members in the Sri Lanka `A` squad.

Others in the pool are Russel Arnold, Duleep Samaraweera, Chaminda Mendis, Saman Jayantha, Indika de Saram, Hemantha Wickramaratne, Mahela Jayawardena, Waruna Waragoda, Naveed Nawaz,, Lanka Silva, Nimesh Perera, Wendall Labrooy, Nuwan Soysa, Mario Villavarayan.

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