Mathews a doubt after hamstring strain

Friday, 24 June 2016 00:21 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Dinesh Chandimal (C) celebrates winning a game of football with team mates during nets Action Images via Reuters

ESPNCricinfo: Angelo Mathews remains under an injury cloud and must undergo a fitness test on Wednesday before he can be cleared to play in the second ODI against England at Edgbaston on Friday.

The Sri Lanka captain hobbled from the field suffering stiffness in his left hamstring after bowling six overs during Sri Lanka’s tie with England in the first ODI of the five-game Royal London series at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.

The hamstring failed to improve overnight and Mathews saw a doctor in Birmingham on Wednesday to undergo further assessment.

His absence would be keenly felt by Sri Lanka on several levels; in the first ODI Mathews’ steadying innings of 73 was the highest of any batsman in his side and he then took 2 for 22 with the new ball before injury forced him from the field.

Sri Lanka may also have benefited from Mathews’ experience as captain as England chased down 286 to draw level with Sri Lanka - particularly in the final two overs when Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett plundered 30 runs, culminating in Plunkett’s six off Nuwan Pradeep’s final ball. Sri Lanka’s pace attack has been gradually depleted since the start of the tour, with the loss of Dushmantha Chameera, Dhammika Prasad and Shaminda Eranga and, in the remainder of the squad, there is no like-for-like replacement for the all-rounder Matthews.

Sri Lanka’s team management has told ESPNcricinfo they were already preparing to draft a replacement for Eranga from the Sri Lanka A squad, which arrives in England on Wednesday night ahead of a series of matches against Pakistan A and England Lions. If Matthews fails to recover in time for Friday’s game, Sri Lanka may need to call in further reinforcements.