Sri Lanka Test specialists in England to prepare for three-Test series

• 18-member squad picked with Dhananjaya de Silva as Captain

While Sri Lanka’s white ball cricketers, some of whom are also part of the Test team, prepare to take on India in the third and final ODI at the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium tomorrow, seven Test specialists have already left for England to acclimatize themselves to the conditions and pitches they are bound to encounter in the three-match Test series there.

The Test players who are already in England are batsmen Dimuth Karunaratne, skipper Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal and bowlers, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha and Prabath Jayasuriya.

Fast bowler Vishwa Fernando who was also due to leave with them has been forced to stay back due to a visa issue.

Sri Lanka Cricket has arranged practice facilities for the players in England with former Sri Lankan-born cricketer Glucka Wijesuriya at London Shenley Club.  Dhammika Sudarshana has accompanied the seven players as the coach along with physio Jonathan Porter.

The remaining 11 players in the 18-member squad picked for the tour are due to leave on 11 August and join the rest of the players. Sri Lanka has picked six fast bowlers and three spinners for the tour.

Sri Lanka open their tour with a four-day warm-up fixture at Worcester before taking on England in a three-match Test series which is part of the ICC Test Championships.

The first Test will take place at Old Trafford, Manchester from 21-25 August and will be followed by the second Test at Lord’s, London from 29 August to 2 September, and the third and final Test at the KIA Oval, London from 6-10 September. – (ST)