SL name four uncapped players for WI tour

By Madushka Balasuriya

Sri Lanka Cricket has picked four uncapped players for their upcoming Test series in the West Indies, while question marks remain around the inclusion of lynchpins Angelo Mathews and Suranga Lakmal.

Right arm quicks Kasun Rajitha, 24, and Asitha Fernando, 20, have benefited from Sri Lanka’s fast bowling injury crisis, which has seen the likes Dushmantha Chameera (back) and Nuwan Pradeep (hamstring) sidelined. And while Suranga Lakmal is back in training, he, along with Angelo Mathews, are said to be lacking match fitness and their involvement is to be confirmed closer to the first Test. Lahiru Gamage and Lahiru Kumara round out the squad’s fast-bowling contingent.

Meanwhile, Mahela Udawatte looks set to make his Test bow a decade after his international debut, with him only returning to the national fold in T20s last year. The 31-year-old left-hander has been in fine form as of late in racking up two centuries and three fifties in the last two months on the first class circuit.

The rest of the batting order names itself with Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya De Silva, Niroshan Dickwella and Roshen Silva forming an impressive core, while Mathews’ inclusion depends on him proving his fitness.Jeffrey Vandersay, 28, is the final potential debutant, with a string of impressive performances in the recently concluded Super Provincial Tournament seeing him unseat Lakshan Sandakan who, selectors say, has been struggling for form as of late. Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera and Akila Dananjaya are the other spinners in the squad.

Sri Lanka will play three Tests on their tour of West Indies, with the first Test said to take place on 6 June, prior to which the team will play a three-day warm-up game. The series will also see the Caribbean’s first ever day/night Test.