Sri Lankan news (18 Sep 1996)

Wednesday 18, September 1996

SRI LANKA SPORTS NEWS AT-A-GLANCE

Daily News

* Sri Lanka plans to go into their second Test against Zimbabwe, which starts on Wednesday at the SSC grounds, with a three pronged pace attack.

Sri Lanka are likely to go in for two paceman at the expense of two of the three spinners who played in the first Test as the SSC wicket has the tendency of assisting the pace bowlers early in the day. In the circumstances, Kumara Dharmasena and Jayantha Silva will be replaced by Ravindra Pushpakumara and Pramodya Wickremasinghe leaving Muttiah Muralitharan as the only specialised spinner in the side.

* Zimbabwe adopt a more positive approach to combat the Sri Lankans in the Second Test that starts at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds at Maitland Place on Wednesday. The visitors have drawn up new strategies to cope with the Sri Lankan spinners against whom they fared so poorly in the First Test which they lost by an innings and 77 runs within four days.

Zimbabwe skipper Alistair Campbell said they will deal with the Lankan spinners more positively. He said the SSC wicket is very similar to the ones at home and turns early and is much quicker. He was full of praise for his bowlers who did a good job and added if not for Arjuna Ranatunga`s and Kaluwitharana`s fine knocks, Sri Lanka would have been in a spot of bother.

* Both Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe declined to name their sides on the eve of the second Test and the final eleven will be known after the final practice sessions.

Sri Lanka cricket manager Duleep Mendis said that nothing has been finalised as yet on the final X1. He said that Sri Lanka will go flat out to win this Test too and the final X1 will be identified after Tuesday`s practice sessions.

* Sri Lanka will probably retain their world champion 14-member squad for the forthcoming tour of Kenya to participate in the Kenya Cricket Association Centenary tournament to be played from September 27 to October 6. World cup champions Sri Lanka will meet host Kenya in the opening fixture of the four-nations cricket tournament on September 28 at Nairobi Gymkhana.

A reliable selection committee source said on Tuesday that the 14 players who were in the squad which won the World Cup and the recent Singer World Series, will be retained. Sri Lanka`s World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga has been appointed to lead the team.

South Africa, Pakistan and Kenya are the other countries participating in the four-nation tournament.Sri Lanka`s other fixtures in the competition are against South Africa on October 1 at Nairobi Club and against Pakistan on October at Nairobi Gymkhana. The finals of the competition is scheduled for October 6 (Sunday) at Nairobi Gymkhana.

* Daya Wickremasinghe will captain SSC `Masters` team which will make a nine-day tour of Malaysia and Thailand commencing from October 11.

The team include two former Sri Lanka Test cricketers - opening batsman Sidat Wettimuny and Guy de Alwis. Others in the team are Ajith Abeygunawardena, Mahinda Halangoda, T.M.S.Saldin, Pradeep Kariyawasam, Jagath Pattiarachchi, S.de Silva, P.Udayaratne, M.A.C.de Silva, Jayahtha Kudahetty, Rochana Jayawardena, R.P.Samarasinghe, L.Pieris and A.Pieris. The team will play several limited over games on tour.

Kalpage to lead to HK

All-rounder Ruwan Kalpage has been appointed captain and manager of the eight-member Sri Lanka team for the Hong Kong Sixes tournament to be held in Hong Kong on September 21 and 22.

The team will leave for the tournament on September 19 and return on September 23.

The Sri Lanka team : Ruwan Kalpage (captain/manager), Saman Jayantha, Erik Upashantha, Indika de Saram, Russel Arnold, Mahela Jayawardena, Hemantha Wickremaratne, Ruwin Peiris.

`Kehel, Ranjit` managers

At the Cricket Board Executive Committee meeting held on Monday, former Sri Lanka fast bowler T.B. Kehelgamuwa was appointed manager of the Sri Lanka `A` team that will play West Indies `A` in a series of matches commencing next month.

Another former Sri Lanka cricketer, Ranjit Fernando was appointed cricket manager of the team.

West Indies `A` led by Roger Harper are expected to make a fiveweek tour of Sri Lanka playing three 4-day unofficial Tests at Asgiriya, Kurunegala and Matara, and three one-day `internationals` at Premadasa Stadium, SSC and either at Tyronne Fernando Stadium or Sara Stadium.

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