http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AD-Mathews-c913 ruled out for first Test match – Cricket News Update
Sri Lankan all-rounder, Angelo Mathews, is left-out from the squad due to a calf injury for the upcoming two Test-match series against England, starting on Monday March 26, at Galle.
The 24-year-old right-hander is undergoing the same problem which prevented him from playing the finals of Commonwealth Bank series as well as the recently concluded 2012 Asia Cup tournament in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747.
According to the fitness report which came out on Friday morning, Mathews may not continue his career as an all-rounder as he may not be able to persist with bowling.
“I don't think we can use Mathews as an all-rounder in the future. Mathews has some problem with his legs and it is very unlikely he will bowl much. We have to look at him purely as a batsman,” said http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ashantha-Lakdasa-Francis-de-Mel-c46253, the Sri Lanka’s Chief selector.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 Cricket President’s XI in a three day warm-up match against England, is included in the team in place of Mathews.
Silva has been in terrific form during the first-class season and was the only batsman to top 1000 runs.
The 32-year-old has played 11 Test matches and 75 ODI with an average of 33.56 and 28.85 respectively. He played the last Test match against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 in 2008 and since then he has been a regular part of ODIs.
In the absence of Mathews, the 35-year-old veteran Thilan Samaraweera, is nominated vice captain to Mahela Jayawardene. This is the first time the right-handed batsman is elevated to any higher rank.
The Lankans are already under considerable pressure as many of their key players are not physically fit to support their side. The absence of all-rounder, Thisara Perera and doubtful recovery of the groin strain affected right-arm fast bowler, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SL-Malinga-c2540,
have also put selectors in a tough spot.
Another key player who is left-out of the side is the right-arm off-breaker, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/BAW-Mendis-c1127, who is replaced by the off-spinner Suraj Randiv. Randiv has played 6 Test matches and picked 21 wickets with an average of 42.95.
Sri Lanka's squad for the first Test: http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ranasinghe-Arachchige-Suranga-Lakmal-c83928, Dhammika Prasad,
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HMRKB-Herath-c1559.
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