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| Sunday, 21 July 2002 |
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Aravinda de Silva back in squad : Sri Lanka take no chances against Bangladesh by RANJAN ANANDAPPA Sri Lanka has taken no chances or undue risks as they have named a strong 15 man squad to meet Bangladesh in the first cricket Test which will get under way today at the P. Saravanamutthu Stadium. Besides left arm pacemen Chaminda Vaas who is resting and Nuwan Zoysa who has been left out, a notable absentee in the Sri Lankan squad is Physiotherapist Alex Kontouri who has been replaced by R. Nanayakkarawasam according to a Cricket Board communique. Prasanna Jayawardena will most probably get the opportunity to prove his class behind the wickets and Kumar Sangakkara will get his chance to concentrate more on his batting in a strong regular Sri Lankan batting line up which includes all the big names. Another left arm paceman from Kalutara Sujeeva de Silva is tipped to take Vass' place and form the pace trio joined by Dilhara Fernando and Charitha Buddika. Spinner Muthiah Muralitharan seems to have fully recovered from his injury and will no doubt be looking for another big haul of wickets. Bangladesh has played 11 Test matches since they were awarded full Test status two years ago and has lost ten and drawn one. "We had a month's residential camp prior to the tour but we were able to practice outdoors only for three or four days due to bad weather. We are aware that the Sri Lankans are strong, but win or lose we will play positively," said the tour manager Mahmud-ul- Haque Manu. He further said that their batsmen lack the test temperament to produce long innings. Some of our batsmen get out after scoring 30 or 40 runs instead building the innings said the tour manager Mahamud. Bangladesh will pin their hopes on Aminul Islam who scored a debut 147 against India in their inaugural Test in Dhaka and who is striking the ball well at the moment. Habibul Bashar is the most successful batsman scoring nine half centuries and a hundred. Skipper and wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud, and Mohammed Ashraful who scored a century against Sri Lanka to become the youngest player to score a test century on debut will have to bat with more grit and courage if they are to encounter the Sri Lankan pace and spin attack successfully. Ashraful has not been among the runs for his country since his debut hundred against Sri Lanka in a one off Asian Championship Test played in Colombo. Sri Lanka (from): Sanath Jayasuriya (Captain), Marvan Atapattu (V. Captain), Mahela Jayawardena, Russel Arnold, Aravinda de Silva, Kumar Sangakkara, Prasanna Jayawardena, Muthiah Muralitharan, Dilhara Fernando, Sujeeva de Silva, Charitha Buddika Fernando, Upul Chandana, Thilan Samaraweera, Hashan Tillekeratne, Hasantha Fernando. Bangladesh (from): Khaled Mashud (captain), Habibul Basher, Aminul Islam, Akram Khan, Al Sahariar, Ensanul Hoque, Abdul Hanan Sarker, Mohammed Ashraful, Tushar Imran, Muntasir Rahaman, Enamul Hoque, Monjural Islam, Tarek Aziz Khan, Alamgir Kabir, Talha Jubaer. Umpires: David Shepherd (England). Steve Bucknor (West Indies). Match referee: Wasim Raja (Pakistan), TV Umpire: (T. H. Wijewardena) |
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