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by RANJAN ANANDAPPA

Sri Lanka’s most experienced player Aravinda de Silva (right) who announced his retirement from Test cricket was at practice and chats here with coach Dav Whatmore. Aravinda de Silva will probably play in the one-day series.

Has team selection put the Sri Lankan cricketers in the correct frame of mind prior to their departure to South Africa tonight to play two Tests and five one-dayers and two four day games?

Sri Lanka has included a record number of eight fast bowlers in the 17 member squad and there are four left-arm bowlers namely, Chaminda Vaas, Sujeeva de Silva, Thilina Thushara and the latest addition of Ruchira Perera at the Board expense. The right-armers are Dilhara Fernando, Chamila Gamage, Tharanga Lakshita and a medium

pace allrounder Hasantha Fernando, completing the eight-man hit squad.

The eight pacemen picked in the squad of 17 players for the tour is probably due to the fact that the wickets in South Africa tend to help the pacemen more than the spinners. So, to match South African skipper Shaun Pollock's fiery pacemen, the Sri Lanka selectors have opted for pace more than spinners for this tour.

Dilhara Fernando - a paceman (left) and Hasantha Fernando - medium pace all-rounder. Two more pacemen ... Chamila Gamage (left) - medium pace and Sujeewa de Silva (left-arm fast). The two newcomers in the squad of 17 players ... Left-arm fast bowler Thilina Thushara (left) and right-arm paceman Tharanga Lakshitha. Jehan Mubarak - left-hand batsman and right-arm off-spinner.

With just two four-day games prior to the Test matches, one would wonder as to how many of the new fast bowlers could get the exposure. The experienced trio of Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando and Ruchira Perera will probably play in the Tests, provided they are fit.

The selectors should be complimented up to a certain point for selecting two virtually unknown pacemen from the outstations who look to be future fast bowlers, right-armer Tharanga Lakshita from the old school of Sanath Jayasuriya St. Servatius' Matara and left-armer Thilina Thushara from Sidhartha College, Balapitiya with the future in mind. These two bowlers have been given preference ahead of the more experienced Kaushalya Weeraratne, Prabath Nissanka or even Test 'cap' Ravindra Pushpakumara who has bowled exceptionally well in places like South Africa, West Indies and even Australia.

However, it is disheartening to note that the same degree of consideration has not been given to a right-arm leg-spinner which no doubt is a useful commodity in any form of cricket and for the future of the game in Sri Lanka. Since the departure of D.S. de Silva, right-arm leg-spinners have come and gone or most of them have fallen by the way side and disappeared without trace. Kaushal Lokuarachchi seems to be the best bet for this job at the moment.

As a schoolboy, he was good enough to be in the national pool for the home series against England and had toured with the under 19 teams to Australia and a recent tour of Pakistan with the Sri Lanka 'A' team. If preference has been given for eight fast bowlers for the future, why not accommodate a right-arm leg spinner?

The South Africans have shown that they are not that comfortable against spin bowling while batting and an additional leg spinner should thicken the cushion for Sri Lanka.

The Lankans still have to win a Test in South Africa. They first made a Test tour to South Africa in 1997/98 under Arjuna Ranatunga. South Africa won the two Test series 2-0 under the leadership of late Hansie Cronje. Then in year 2000/01 in a three-Test series, Sri Lanka under Sanath Jayasuriya lost the series once again with two Test wins for South Africa and one drawn.

Referring to the team, captain Sanath Jayasuriya said that it is a blend of youth and experience.

"We are fortunate to play against three extremely strong teams prior to the World Cup in February in South Africa. Our strength could be assessed while meeting these teams. After the Test matches, we'll play five one-dayers against South Africa then we come back to Sri Lanka stay for two days and embark on a strenuous triangular series in Australia where England is also participating," said Jayasuriya.

"No other team could get that kind of exposure prior to the World Cup next year. Similarly, we played a limited over series prior to the World Cup which we won on Australian soil and this kind of exposure should be ideal for a big tournament like the World Cup," Jayasuriya added.

Tour itinerary

Sri Lanka tour of South Africa 2002.

Monday 21 October departure. Friday October 25-28 four day game vs South Africa 'A' at Kimberley.

Friday November 1-4 four-day game Rest of South Africa at Benoni. Friday November 8-12 First Test at

Johannesburg. Friday November 15-19 Second Test at Centurion.

Saturday November 23 one-day game vs South Africa 'A'. Wednesday 27 First ODI day/night at Johannesburg. Friday 29 Nov. Second ODI day/night at Centurion. Sunday December 1-3 ODI at Benoni.

Wednesday Dec. 4th Fourth ODI day/night at Kimberley. Friday 6th Dec. Fifth and final ODI day/night at Bloemfontein.

Team: Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Marvan Atapattu (v. captain), Kumar Sangakkara (wicketkeeper), Mahela Jayawardena, Russell Arnold, Hashan Tillekeratne, Prasanna Jayawardena (wicketkeeper), Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando, Ruchira Perera, Muttiah Muralitharan, Tharanga Lakshitha, Thilina Thushara, Sujeeva de Silva, Jehan Mubarak, Chamila Gamage, Hasantha Fernando.

Coach: Dav Whatmore. Cricket Development Manager: Dulip Mendis. Physio: Alex Kontouri, Manager, Air Commodore Ajith Jayasekera.

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