Two Kulasekaras, Tharanga and Malinga for South Africa ODIs
Opening batsman Upul Tharanga and three pace bowlers Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara and Kosala Kulasekara will join the Sri Lanka squad in South Africa for the five-match One Day International series starting on January 11 in Boland Park, Paarl, sources told “Daily Mirror”.
Six members of the 17man Test squad will return home at the end of the third Test which starts tomorrow in Newlands, Cape Town they added.
Tilan Samarawera, Tharanga Paranavithana, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Chanaka Welagedara and Kanishka Elvitigala will return back to Sri Lanka before the ODI series.
There are no major surprises in the ODI team as the National selectors have kept their faith in all rounder Kosala Kulasekara who did not do much to justify his place in the team for the recent series against Pakistan in UAE.
Nuwan Kulasekara who had been overlooked for the Test series due to injury concerns has finally been picked and will fly out with his star pace partner Lasith Malinga, who immediately puts the strength of the Sri Lankan pace attack a few notches up for the ODIS.
There was a minor controversy before the second Test when skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan told media in South Africa that Nuwan Kulasekara would be flown in as a replacement for injured Sri Lankan bowlers ahead of the second Test but the National selectors named rookie paceman Kanishka Elvitigala instead of Kulasekara to fly out with Dhammika Prasad as a replacement.emerging star Jeevan Mendis lost out of a place as he was not considered for selection due to injury.
Meanwhile, team sources disclosed that former skipper Mahela Jayawardene, currently struggling with the bat has shown interest in opening the innings in the ODIS and might be promoted up the order.skipper Dilshan who is the regular opener with Upul Tharanga in ODIS is also going through a lean patch and might opt to move down the order.
However 34-year old Jayawardene’s miserable Test form this year has given even more worries to the national selectors as the stylish right hander, considered easily as one of the finest strokemakers in world cricket today has scored just one century and two half centuries in 2011 in 21 innings he played in 11 Test matches.a National selector said contrary to Jayawardene’s rumored captaincy aspirations; he is actually struggling to sustain his place in the Test team.
It will be a tight call when regular Test wicket keeper Prasanna Jayawardene recovers fully from the operation he has undergone, as Prasanna scored a fantastic fighting century in the last Test innings he played which would make him an automatic choice in the team.
In the meanwhile, Dinesh Chandimal who made his debut as a wicketkeeper in the second Test against South Africa last week scored twin half centuries and showed much promise, putting Mahela Jaywardene’s Test place in the balance.
The Sri Lanka ODI Squad for South Series
Tillakaratne Dilshan (Captain), Angelo Mathews (Vice Captain), Upul Tharanga, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera, Kosala Kulasekara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Dhammika Prasad, Dilhara Fernando, Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis
BY Channaka De Silva
Jeevan Mendis is injured. This is a huge loss. He shud be considered 4 all forms of cricket. He’s a genuine all-rounder!!!!!!
Dinesh Chandimal has to show his prowess as a Test batsman by proving that he has what it takes to play the long innings and bat time against quality opponents in tough situations. Even Murali or any tail ender can slog and edge his way to a couple of 40′s and that will not qualify them to become a suitable replacement for an all time great like Mahale Jayawardena.
The squad appears good but it all depends on whether the selected 11 will be good it is hoped that the two spinners will be selected in the 11
jeevan mendis is a flop
Not a balanced squad. 7 batsmen and 8 bowlers(including bowling allrounders).
better to add another specialised middle order batsmen
… if we had select a squad on the basis of performance, that squad should be include players like Dimuth, Thirimanne,Paranawithana, ..as openers; Kausal, samaraweera, Rosen silva as No 3; Chandimal, Angelo Perera,Mathews,Bhanuka, Chathuranga de Silva as middle-order; Sachithra Serasinghe, Sachith Pathirana,Umesh Karunarathna, Chathuranga Kumara, Jayampathi,Geeth Alwis, Geeth Kumara..as all-rounders; Sachithra Senanayaake, Malinda Pushpakumara, Vandersay, Dulanjana Mendis, Ajantha,Prsanna… as spinners
Raja, the team you have said is good to play with the Ethiopian U15 Team….
kusal janith should have been given a chance.
he performed very well inn the recently concluded club matches.Its hard to understand as to why upul tharangfa is always considerd in selections as he is very ordinary batsman who is capable of playing only in the off side .
must give chances to players like Ashan,Dilshan Munaweera their attacking batsman can hit hard to the ball. selectors must think of them
The players that I have mentioned above are classy players who been maintaining consistency since the day that they have started playing the Game. No person can maintain any level of consistency without having proper skills and the most importantly there is always a strong possibility for that the youngsters who have acquired proper skills of the Game as youngsters to carry along with them the same momentum into his later career. Samaraweera&Mathews are two good examples. That is why we don’t find too many risky (false, Edgy & lofted) strokes in the batting art of Samaraweera to that of S’kara, M’ela &D’shan. The removal of selectors is more important than any thing else.
MrCricket
The above y’gsters, they all have far better consistent school careers than what S’kara, M’ela or D’shan could boast of. As the foreign media has very correctly pointed out the3 seniors ‘ve always struggled when they get caught on lively pitches against quality bowlers because the3are lacking right technique required to perform on these pitches. Without knowing how to leave a ball there to be left alone & ability to stroke the ball all along the ground, all around the wicket right from the middle of the bat, surviving on these pitches is a thing that is very difficult to conquer. It’s still makes things worse for aging batters of fragile technique as their body reflexes too would tend to get slower & slower with the age. The fans may argue that their Test averages are that much & 1st Cl. Ave. are so much but when you take out all those huge scores they have gathered in home soil offering 101 straight forward chances those averages may have dropped down to very low levels.