Back injury rules Dilshan out of first Test against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 – Cricket News Update
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/TM-Dilshan-c2691 was on Friday ruled out of the first Test of the two-match home series against New Zealand due to a back injury.
The 36-year-old Kalutara all-rounder picked up the injury before the third One Day International of the five-match series against the same opposition last month. He played the third-one-dayer with the sore back and went on to score an unbeaten 102 off just 95 deliveries. However, he sat out the final two one-dayers against the Black Caps nursing the niggle.
It was hoped that the Sri Lankan opener would recover in time for the opening Test of the two match series, which gets underway at Galle on Saturday, November 17, 2012. However, the home skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DPMD-Jayawardene-c1397 told media on Friday that the hard-hitting right-hander was yet to recover completely from the back injury and will not be considered for selection tomorrow.
"Dilshan has not come good with his back problem. We had a scan done. Batting he can probably manage, but on-the-field movements are still giving him problems," Jayawardene said on the eve of the Test.
"We assessed him on Wednesday and he wasn't 100%, so we gave him this Test off and a week to see whether he could be fit for the next Test," added the Islander.
The untimely injury of Dilshan opens the door for the uncapped http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Scotland-c756 last year, will in all probability open the innings for Sri Lanka in Galle.
"Dimuth has been consistent last season and had a good A-team tour to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 as well," said Jayawardene, who was reinstated as national skipper for a second term in February this year.
"Everyone is quite happy that he is going to make his debut tomorrow and looking forward to see him open the batting with Tharanga," the top-order batsman added further.
Jayawardene is, however hoping for the experienced all-rounder to be fit for the second and final Test of the short series, which begins in Colombo on November 25.
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