Dilshan to captain Sri Lanka

Tillakaratne Dilshan will take over from Kumar Sangakarra as captain of Sri Lanka for next month’s tour of England.

Sangakkara decided to step down after the team lost to India in this month’s World Cup final.

“We are proud to announce the appointment of Dilshan as the national captain in all three formats of the game for the tour of England,” Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement on Monday.

“The national selectors have postponed the appointment of a vice-captain since the prospective candidates are nursing injuries and their availability for the forthcoming tour is still in question.”

All-rounder Angelo Mathews, 23, has been tipped for the role, but he is nursing a side strain suffered during the World Cup semi-final.

Opening batsman Dilshan, 34, was the leading run-scorer in the World Cup with 500 at an average of 62.50.

He has led Sri Lanka once before, on a tour of Zimbabwe in June last year, when his team won a one-day tri-series which also featured India.

This is the first time Dilshan has been picked to lead his country in a test series.

Chairman of selectors Duleep Mendis said the tour squad would be selected after Dilshan returns from the Indian Premier League where he is representing Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Sri Lanka have told all their IPL players to return home by May 5 to prepare for the tour.

The squad are due to leave for England on May 10 for a series of three tests, five one-dayers and one Twenty20 international.

The first test in Cardiff starts on May 26.

Dilshan’s appointment is expected to be a short-term move because he is not expected to be a candidate for the 2015 World Cup to be played in Australia and New Zealand.

The son of a police officer, Dilshan is the 11th full-time Sri Lankan skipper. He made his Test debut against Zimbabwe in 1999 and hit an unbeaten 163 in his second Test match in Harare.

His career took off in 2009 when he volunteered to open in all three forms of the game in Pakistan, exploiting attacking fields and amassing huge scores in all formats. He scored 11 international hundreds in the year and won the World Twenty20 Player of the Series prize. (Reuters and AFP)

Pietersen Expects To Be Ready For Sri Lanka Series

England batsman Kevin Pietersen expects to be fit for the first Test of the summer but admits he has enjoyed having an extended period away from the game.

Pietersen flew home early from England’s World Cup campaign with a hernia problem, although medical advice suggested the injury would not get significantly worse if he had played through the pain.

He has since undergone an operation and has been spending time with his family instead of continuing on to the Indian Premier League as he was contracted to do if fit.

Although glad of the break from the international treadmill, Pietersen intends to prove he is ready for selection against Sri Lanka on May 26.

He said.”I’m not raring to go right now, not all. I’m enjoying this break, it’s amazing.” “I’ve not had a break like this for seven years playing for England. It’s something I’ve really enjoyed.”

“But I’m rehabbing three, four, five times a week trying to get things right, just making sure I get myself right, get myself strong, get myself fit.”

He continued: “I haven’t picked up a cricket bat of late, I haven’t even seen a cricket bat except on TV watching the IPL.”

“I’ll start playing probably in the middle of May and try and get ready to prove my fitness for the first Test match.”