Eranga, Prasanna in Sri Lanka’s Test squad

Friday, 26 August 2011 00:35 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka’s attack has been given a major overhaul ahead of the first Test against Australia, with the uncapped Shaminda Eranga and Seekkuge Prasanna among those vying for a position. The Sri Lankans have named a 16-man squad for the Test series, which begins in Galle next Wednesday, and there was no room for Thisara Perera.

Also missing from the group that toured England was Dilhara Fernando, Farveez Maharoof and the batsman Dinesh Chandimal, who is playing for the Sri Lanka Board XI in the ongoing tour match in Colombo. Angelo Mathews is back in the Test squad, while there was also a spot for the opener Lahiru Thirimanne, who replaced the injured captain Tillakaratne Dilshan in the third Test in England.

The Australians are pleased Lasith Malinga no longer plays Test cricket, but they know they will have to respect the new fast man Eranga, who showed great promise in the limited-overs series. The nippy Eranga, 25, debuted in the third game in Hambantota and can already claim Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke among his international victims.

The one-dayers also allowed the legspinner Prasanna, 26, to have his first taste of international cricket, and he stunned Australia with a triple-wicket maiden on debut. Prasanna, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath and Suraj Randiv are the spin options for Sri Lanka, who will rely heavily on the slow bowlers knowing that on their home pitches, spin will be their best chance to run through Australia.

Test squad Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), Tharanga Paranavitana, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Angelo Mathews, Suraj Randiv, Suranga Lakmal, Chanaka Welegedara, Dhammika Prasad, Shaminda Eranga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Seekkuge Prasanna, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath (ESPNcricinfo)