Lanka squad for Caribbean Tests

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
Sri Lanka selectors recalled bowlers Rangana Herath and Thilan Thushara and batsman Malinda Warnapura and included fast bowler Ishara Amerasinghe for his first Test cap for the short series of two Tests in the Caribbean against the West Indies next month.

Following the retirement of Sanath Jayasuriya from Test cricket last year, left-hander Upul Tharanga was expected to fill the vacant slot, but his continued poor form in Australia sees Warnapura, a 28-year-old left-hander being picked to open the batting with Michael Vandort.

Warnapura, the nephew of Sri Lanka’s first Test captain Bandula Warnapura played in two Tests against Bangladesh last year and has been a regular player in the Sri Lanka A team.

Herath and Thushara earn their recall to excellent performances in the on-going domestic season.

Herath, 29, played the last of his 12 Tests against Bangladesh in 2005, but despite being overlooked for selection the left-arm spinner has continued to take wickets in the domestic scene for Moors SC. In the on-going season his match-winning bowling performances is one reason why Moors SC find themselves in third place in the Premier league tournament. In four matches Herath has captured 19 wickets (avg. 15.84).

Similarly, 26-year-old left-arm fast-medium bowler Thilan Thushara has performed exceptionally well to keep SSC on top of the Premier league table capturing 18 wickets (avg. 20.11) from four matches. He also played an important role in Kandurata ending as Inter-provincial limited-overs joint champs finishing as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 11 wickets (avg. 8.00) from 5 matches.

Thushara has one solitary Test appearance and that was in the Caribbean five years ago when he played in the second Test at Jamaica and went wicketless conceding 59 runs. Since then he has improved vastly to earn a recall.

Selection committee sources revealed that Thushara became the obvious choice as another left-armer bowler Chanaka Welagedera is struggling with his follow through in Australia and has so far been overlooked for selection for the VB Series games after being severely warned in one of the practice matches.

Amerasinghe, 29, a right-arm fast-medium bowler gets the nod following some impressive bowling in the on-going VB Series in Australia where he has captured six wickets (avg. 24.16) from three matches. He is the uncapped Test player in the squad.

Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara have been retained as captain and vice-captain for the tour which begins in mid-March. Sri Lanka will play West Indies in two Tests at Guyana (March 22-26) and Trinidad (April 3-7).

They will also figure in a series of three one-day internationals (from April 10-15) for which there will be changes made to the present squad.

Sri Lanka Test Squad for West Indies: Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Kumar Sangakkara (vice-captain), Michael Vandort, Malinda Warnapura, Thilan Samaraweera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Silva, Prasanna Jayawardene (w/k), Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga, Farveez Maharoof, Ishara Amarasinghe, Rangana Herath. Thilan Thushara.

Stand-bys: Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedera, Malinga Bandara, Sujeewa Silva.

Officials: Shriyan Samararatne (manager), Trevor Bayliss (coach), Paul Farbrace (assistant coach), Tommy Simsek (physiotherapist), Jade Roberts (trainer), Nalin de Alwis (computer analyst), Lal Thamel (masseur), Jayantha Seneviratne (selector on tour).