Nuwan Pradeep set to fly home

Sri Lanka's preparations for the first Test in Cardiff have taken a blow with the news that Nuwan Pradeep, their match-winning seamer against the England Lions on Sunday, is set to fly home after picking up a knee injury.

Pradeep claimed figures of 4 for 29 in ten hostile overs as Sri Lanka overcame the follow-on to bowl the Lions out for 183 in Derby and win a thrilling contest by 38 runs. However, according to Stuart Law, the bowler sustained damage to his anterior cruciate ligament after treading on the ball in the course of that spell, and is currently seeing a specialist to determine the full extent of the injury.

"It's bad news for the young man," said Law. "If things are okay and he doesn't need an operation, we may opt to keep him here if he can get through, but at this stage it looks like he's flying home. The warmer you are the better with these injuries, but as he stopped he was dragging his leg around yesterday. It's a shame."

In the absence of their limited-overs spearhead, Lasith Malinga, Pradeep had looked likely to slot straight into the Test team with his extra pace through the air and unorthodox slingy action. "He was definitely in the mix after his performance in Derby," said Law. "He's one of our cards up our sleeve, so it's a shame if he has to go home. I'm heart-broken for him."

Sri Lanka's problems could be compounded by the potential loss of their veteran seamer Dilhara Fernando, who was limping during training after bowling through the pain of a less serious knee problem during that same match in Derby, in which he took six wickets.

Farveez Maharoof, who has been playing county cricket for Lancashire, has been drafted into the squad as cover, having already featured during their opening warm-up match against Middlesex in Uxbridge, when several members of the original 16-man squad were still in India playing the IPL.

Given his form for Lancashire and his all-round abilities, Maharoof could well end up playing his first Test since 2007. He started the season with a century on Lancashire debut and followed the tour game against Middlesex, in which he took two wickets, with a four-wicket first-innings haul for Lancashire against Yorkshire.

. Sri Lanka's other seam-bowling options are Suranga Lakmal, Thisara Perera and Chanaka Welegedara. Perera took four wickets at Derby, while Lakmal and Welegedara took three and five wickets respectively in the game against Middlesex.

Maharoof played 20 Tests between 2004 and 2007, and was a regular in Sri Lanka's one-day side till early 2009 after which a combination of injuries and the emergence of Angelo Mathews as Sri Lanka's premier allrounder kept him out of the national team. He made a comeback during the 2010 Asia Cup but has not played any international cricket since.

Maharoof's inclusion in the Sri Lanka squad means he misses Lancashire's trip to Hampshire and is unlikely to be available for the next match against Durham.

No Pak tour without security clearance - Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka will not tour Pakistan unless they get security clearance, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) secretary Nishantha Ranatunga has said. The PCB had asked SLC for their views on playing the scheduled series between the two sides in Pakistan, but Sri Lanka's stand, and a major terrorist attack on Sunday night at a Karachi military base very close to the National Stadium, have severely undermined any hopes of a tour.

"We have received requests from Pakistan over the past three or four months," Ranatunga said. "The PCB told us that they would like to host our team as scheduled in the FTP [Future Tours Programme]. We told them our stance that we need security clearance first before sending a team there again."

On Sri Lanka's last tour of Pakistan, the Sri Lanka team bus was attacked on its way to the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore, cutting the tour short. There has not been any international cricket in Pakistan since. Afghanistan will become the first international team to play in Pakistan next week when they take on Pakistan 'A' in three 50-over games, but the PCB were aiming at a higher profile home series.

"We have sent them a fresh invite to play the series of three Tests, five one-day internationals and one Twenty20 match in Pakistan in October-November," PCB spokesman Nadeem Sarwar said on Sunday. "We are waiting for their response but we have given them full security assurances." His comments came before the reports of the attack in Karachi.

Meanwhile, SLC interim committee chairman Somachandra de Silva said Sri Lanka responded to the Pakistani invitation saying that they are not going to play the series in Pakistan.

"We have replied to the PCB and await their confirmation. We are not going to play in Pakistan at this stage and have offered to host the series in our country," de Dilva told the Daily Mirror. "If they agree to play in Sri Lanka they will have to bear the entire hosting costs. We have also expressed our willingness to play at a neutral venue in Dubai or Abu Dhabi."

de Silva had earlier told AFP that security clearance from a Pakistan Task Team, formed by the ICC in 2009, is essential before considering any tour of Pakistan. Ranatunga confirmed that there were several issues that need to be worked out before any series in Pakistan can take place.

"Pakistan cricket is going through a difficult period, and we are keen to help them out as they are one of our best friends. But we have to consider the safety of our players," Ranatunga said. "First we have to get the security clearance. Then only will we discuss it with the cricketers. You have to remember that most of them were victims of the previous attack."

Boom Boom Afridi to retire from ODI's

KARACHI: Pakistan’s former captain Shahid Khan Afridi is going to announce his retirement from One Day International after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sacked him as skipper earlier in the week.

Sources told The Sports Encounter on Saturday that Shahid Khan Afridi is really dis-hearted on the way the PCB has dealt with him on his media leakages about his differences with head coach Waqar Younis.

The PCB, on Thursday, sacked Shahid Afridi as captain of the Pakistan’s One Day Internationals team and replaced him with Misbah-ul-Haq.

The Sports Encounter had reported on Tuesday that either Misbah-ul-Haq, the Test captain, or all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez was likely to replace Boom Boom Afridi as ODI captain in Ireland.

The decision was made for Pakistan’s upcoming two-match ODI series against Ireland where veteran top-order batsman Younus Khan will also join the team.

Boom Boom Afridi, who is in the United States for his father illness, is still part of the team as a regular player, but PCB chairman Ijaz Butt had told media that his place in the team is not cemented and he will have to prove his abilities. Misbah-ul-Haq, who is leading Pakistan in the two-match Test series in West Indies, will lead the team in Ireland, the PCB chairman added.

It is important to mention here that some media groups had earlier claimed that Shahid Afridi had talked to Ijaz Butt and during the conversation he was able to resolve all out-standing issues including his media outburst. They also claimed that the PCB chief had given Afridi captaincy assurance.

However, on Wednesday, Ijaz Butt told local media that Afridi wasn’t given any assurance of captaincy showing a state of anger in the top cricket board authorities after Afridi had told media about his differences with head coach Waqar Younis.

Following his remarks in the media, which wasn’t the first instance, the PCB had slapped Afridi with a notice demanding reasons for his media outburst.

Following his media outburst, Afridi rapidly lost support in the cricket board for not abiding by the board rules and continuing to talk to media despite several warnings by Ijaz Butt, PCB chairman, and other top authorities.

Pakistan are having a tough schedule as after returning from West Indies, they are due to play two ODIs in Ireland and then they will be touring Zimbabwe in August but before that most of the stars will be in action in the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) for which the PCB has issued NOCs to Shahid Khan Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal.

Thieves steal Sri Lankan cricket team's petrol

THE touring Sri Lankan cricket team were left stumped when thieves stole £700 worth of petrol from their team coach following their three day match against Middlesex at Uxbridge this week.

The team had been based at the Heathrow Crowne Plaza Hotel, in Stockley Road, West Drayton.

Anura Tennakoon, Sri Lanka's team manager, confirmed to the Gazette that the theft was discovered on Tuesday, when the team were checking out of the hotel.

He said: "Yes we did suffer a theft of petrol from the coach, it was around £700 worth.

"However it has not upset our plans at all, the problem was quickly resolved and the coach company is dealing with it."

Mr Tennakoon did not confirm to the Gazette which coach company the team uses, but added that the crime was logged with the police.

The team had fought back from a torrid first day on Saturday against Middlesex, at Uxbridge Cricket Club, in Gatting Way, Uxbridge, to recover to win their first match of the summer on Monday against a side which included England test captain Andrew Strauss.

England play their first test of a three test series against Sri Lanka in Cardiff on Thursday 26.

12 Indian cricketers to feature in SLPL

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has confirmed that as many as 12 Indian players will feature in the inaugural edition of the upcoming Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) T20 tournament according to a report in 'islandcricket' website.

The tournament which is all set to get underway on July 19 will also see several other international stars including the likes of David Warner and Shaun Tait from Australia and Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard from the West Indies, who are currently playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), playing in the Island nation.

The tournament will also provide a platform for the Pakistani players to showcase their talents who found no takers in the IPL.

Shahid Afridi, who will be captaining a team in the tournament, along with Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir and Umar Akmal will represent the Pakistani talent on show.

South Africa's dashing batsman Herschelle Gibbs and veteran Makhaya Ntini are amongst the other big names on show.

All matches will be held at the R Premadasa Stadium here.

The Indian players who figure in the list posted by the website include Dinesh Karthik, Irfan Pathan, Manish Pandey, Manoj Tiwary, Paul Valthaty, Ravindra Jadeja, Saurabh Tiwary, Umesh Yadav, Vinay Kumar, Munaf Patel, Praveen Kumar and Ravichandran Ashwin.

However, the inclusion of Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel and Ashwin has come as a surprise as the trio will be on national duty as India is scheduled to visit England during the month of July for a four-match Test series followed by five-match one-day series and a one-off Twenty20 match. 

Other international stars in the list include Warner, Tait, Callum Ferguson, Daniel Christian (Australia), Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh), Kevin O'Brien (Ireland), Daniel Vettori (New Zealand), Imran Nazir, Afridi, Akhtar, Tanvir, Akmal, Wahab Riaz (Pakistan), Albie Morkel, Gibbs, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Ntini (South Africa), Gayle, Danza Hyatt, Darren Bravo, Pollard (West Indies).

SLC Secretary, Nishantha Ranatunga Hints At Increasing the Number of Teams in Sri Lanka Premier League

Sri Lanka Cricket secretary, Mr. Nishantha Ranatunga, has hinted at increasing the number of provinces participating in the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) to nine after the first few seasons.

The inaugural edition of the tournament, to be held in Sri Lanka in July-August this year, will include seven provinces of Sri Lanka.

The country has total of nine provinces and the two provinces that do not have a team this time include Rajarata and Sabaragamuwa. The SLC secretary assured that the exclusion of these two provinces will not last long and would be part of the national league after the first few seasons.

"We merely wanted to limit the number of teams to ensure competitiveness," said Ranatunga while talking to the media reporters on Tuesday.

"So far, we have had only five teams in our domestic provincial tournaments. We added North (Uthura) and East (Negenahira) for this first tournament, and as we progress with it in the next few seasons, we will add the other two provinces as well," he added.

The opening edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League will start at the end of the July this year and will last for more than 18 days.

Although Sri Lanka built two new stadiums in Hambantota and Pallekele for the recently concluded ICC World Cup 2011, all of the SLPL fixtures will be hosted by the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

When asked about the logic behind staging the whole tournament in one stadium, Ranatunga said that the logistical issues prompted them to use only one stadium.

He further added that they had to finish everything within a time frame of two to three weeks and it would be pretty tiresome for the players to travel heavily in the short period.

The SLC secretary said that keeping in mind all these aspects, they had no option but to limit the league to Colombo.

SLPL, like the Indian Premier League and the revised format of the Big Bash in Australia, will not feature city-based teams. Ranatunga said that the province-based teams would allow the teams of the whole province to link up.

O'Brien joins Gloucestershire and Sri Lanka league

CRICKET NEWS: KEVIN O’BRIEN is about to turn his big-hitting World Cup heroics into personal reward on the double after signing up to play for English county side Gloucestershire, while he will also join one of the seven sides to take part in the new Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) Twenty20 tournament later in the summer.


The 27-year-old all-rounder from Sandymount, Dublin, displayed his destructive batting to brilliant effect during the recent World Cup, scoring the fastest century in the tournament’s history off just 50 balls as Ireland stunned England in victory in Bangalore.



Talks of a lucrative deal with an Indian Premier League franchise came in the aftermath of that performance, but having not been included in the original list for the player auction, O’Brien would have to bide his time.


Now the Railway Union right-hander will have the perfect opportunity to put himself in the shop window by taking part in the inaugural Sri Lankan tournament, which will be run off over 18 days in late July and August and organised by Singapore-based Somerset Entertainment Ventures.


And although it pales in comparison to the juggernaut of its Indian counterpart, top players are expected to earn up to €20,000 for their involvement.


O’Brien is still to find out which of the seven sides he will be playing with, although he has been informed that former Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya will skipper the side and that West Indies batsman Darren Bravo and South African bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe have also been approached to play in the same side.


“The opportunity actually came through (Ireland coach) Phil Simmons, who forwarded me an e-mail a while back, and subsequently Somerset Entertainment Ventures approached me,” said O’Brien yesterday. “It’s going to be a magnificent experience, and hopefully I’ll acquit myself well.”


For the time being, O’Brien will be concentrating on his return to county cricket with Gloucestershire after spending time with Nottinghamshire in 2009. His older brother, Niall, plays for Northamptonshire. He is looking forward to working under former New Zealand coach John Bracewell and will get plenty of opportunity to brush up on all things Sri Lankan, as the county have also signed Muttiah Muralitharan.


“I am very excited to have the opportunity to play for Gloucestershire, and work under one of the most successful coaches in domestic one-day history,” added O’Brien “It is going to be an honour to play with Murali.”


O’Brien is expected to join up with the side later this week and could make his debut in the Clydesdale Bank 40 match against Glamorgan in Cardiff on Sunday.

Afridi to play in inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League

Karachi: Top Pakistan cricketers are looking to showcase their Twenty20 skills at the inaugural edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) later this summer.

Leading the list of Pakistani players roped in by Sri Lanka is the flamboyant Shahid Afridi, who has accepted an offer to lead one of the SLPL franchises.

"I've accepted an offer to be captain of one of the team in the Sri Lankan Premier League. It's a good opportunity and I will try to make the most of it," Afridi was quoted as saying in The News Wednesday.

Afridi said he has also received a similar offer to lead one of the franchises at the Bangladesh's Premier League, adding that he is looking forward to that assignment as well.

The Pakistan captain revealed that he has agreed on a three-year contract and will receive $35,000 for the inaugural SLPL season. The amount will double in 2012.

The Pakistan skipper is not the only player from his country to have signed a contract with SLPL. Other players who have joined the league include Pakistan's Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Akhtar, Abdul Razzaq, Umar Gul and Umar Akmal.

"There is a comfortable window for us (Pakistan's cricketers) to feature in the league in Sri Lanka," said Afridi. "We have a sufficient break from international cricket this summer."

Afridi will go to Sri Lanka from England where he will be playing for Hampshire for their Friends Provident T20 campaign. He will become Hampshire's second overseas player for the tournament alongside Imran Tahir, the Pakistan-born South African spinner.

"There is a two-week break from the Hampshire assignment and I will use it to play in Sri Lanka," said Afridi.

Afridi and his teammates have been shunned by the organisers of the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) though several of them did feature in the inaugural edition of the event.

Afridi said he is pleased that Sri Lanka would be hosting its own Twenty20 league. He is hopeful that other major cricket-playing nations will follow suit.

The inaugural SLPL will span over 18 days with seven teams featuring in the inter-provincial competition. Apart from Pakistani players, other international stars confirmed for the event are Kieron Pollard, Chris Gayle, Daniel Vettori, Daniel Christian, Herschelle Gibbs and Kevin O'Brien.

Chris Gayle hits 37 runs in an over!!

PCB released Pakistan players to play in SLPL

Up to eight top Pakistan players are likely to be in the running to play in the first edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL), allowing players from that country to finally benefit from some of the riches on offer in lucrative Twenty20 leagues around the world. The SLPL, likely to feature players from around the world, is scheduled to be held at the end of July and beginning of August this year, a window in the FTP where Pakistan has no commitments currently.

Both Pakistan captains - Shahid Afridi from the limited overs side and Misbah-ul-Haq from the Test side - have been approached, as have Shoaib Akhtar, Shoaib Malik and Umar Gul.

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The players were first approached directly by the organisers of the tournament, the Singapore-based Somerset Entertainment, something that the PCB wasn't pleased about. But eventually the organisers contacted the PCB asking for clearance for the players to participate and they have been given a positive response. "We told them, in theory, we have no issues with our players taking part in the tournament," a senior board official told ESPNcricinfo. "The first priority of each player of course will be Pakistan's international commitments and if there is something on in that window and the player concerned is picked for Pakistan, that commitment will take priority."

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The participation of Malik will depend on whether he will be cleared by the PCB's integrity committee, a condition which has kept him out of the national side since last summer.

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Players from Pakistan are currently the only ones from the Test-playing nations not to be taking part in the richest domestic Twenty20 league of all, the IPL. Though a number of players took part in the inaugural season of the tournament, in 2008, deteriorating political ties between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks later that year have led to them missing out since, much to the chagrin of the players themselves, some of whom can rightly claim to be among the best international players in the format. The players were even put into the auction for the third season of the IPL but no franchise was willing to buy them, given the potentially tricky diplomatic and logistical issues that could have emerged.

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For similar reasons, no Pakistan domestic side has taken part in the equally lucrative IPL spin-off, the Champions League, which brings together the best domestic Twenty20 sides from around the world. A few Pakistan players, including Afridi, Gul and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan have taken part in the Australian Big Bash but the timing of it generally tends to clash with international commitments and so curtails participation.

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There is also regular participation in Twenty20 competitions in England, as well as longer-term county contracts but by and large, Pakistan's players have missed out on the bonanza of the last few years. "We are aware that our players have not benefitted as others around the world have done, though much of this is out of our hands," the official said. "This will be a good opportunity, if things work out, for them to take part."

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Though full financial details of the league are yet to emerge, one estimate suggests that there will be three salary tabs with the highest at US$ 30,000.

Sri Lanka Premier League to have seven teams

The first edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) will be a seven-team inter-provincial tournament played over approximately 18 days at the end of July and the beginning of August this year. The teams will play each other once, with the top four teams qualifying for the semi-finals. All the games will be played the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and the winner of the tournament will qualify for the Champions League Twenty20.

ESPNcricinfo has learnt that the seven provinces that will be represented are Basnahira, Kandurata, Nagenahira, Ruhuna, Uthura, Uva and Wayamba. Sri Lanka Cricket will select the players for each team, with domestic players likely to be allotted to their home provinces, thereby ensuring the teams have local support.

Each team will have a mix of Sri Lanka and international players with total squad sizes between 16 and 18 players. The playing XI must consist of a minimum of seven Sri Lanka players and a maximum of four international players, with one Sri Lanka player being a current Under-21 cricketer. Each team will also have its share of icon or marquee players, as well as a prominent ex-Sri Lanka player as a mentor or coach.

International players will also be assigned to the various teams by the SLC national selection committee depending on the needs of each team. In this respect, SLC's approach differs from the IPL, in which teams were sold to franchises who then bid for players in an auction. Among the international players who will be taking part are Kieron Pollard, Chris Gayle, Shahid Afridi, Daniel Vettori, Daniel Christian, Herschelle Gibbs and Kevin O'Brien.

The SLPL has also approached a number of Indian players apart from those likely to be playing the Test series against England, and is waiting for the BCCI to approve their participation. The BCCI has already stated it has no problems with the proposed league and that Indian players are free to take part as long as there is no conflict with India's international or domestic schedule.

The league will be run by the Singapore-based Somerset Entertainment, which has bought the rights for five years. The television rights for the tournament have already been sold in Sri Lanka and the goal is to broadcast the tournament across all mediums in every cricketing nation. The matches will be played at 4 pm and 8 pm on most days, although some days will see only an 8 pm game.

Brilliant Bangalore demolish Kochi

Royal Challengers Bangalore 128 for 1 (Dilshan 52*, Gayle 44) beat Kochi Tuskers Kerala 125 for 9 (Aravind 2-20, Vettori 2-24) by nine wickets

If you aren't a fan of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, there's good news and bad news. The good news first: Tillakaratne Dilshan has found form late, and will not unleash any more violence in the IPL, since he is headed to England. The bad news is that Chris Gayle is in such form that you probably wouldn't notice Dilshan's absence. And then there is worse news - Bangalore are fielding like a team possessed. The hapless Kochi Tuskers Kerala ran into each facet of Bangalore's brilliance, and were dismantled clinically in a nine-wicket hiding, that came with 6.5 overs to spare.

On a day when Royal Challengers Bangalore went green, Gayle and Dilshan did more than their bit for the environment, setting up a finish before the floodlights had to take full effect. Gayle began the mayhem by depositing RP Singh into the second tier behind long-off in the first over. Dilshan responded by looting 20 runs off Ramesh Powar in the second over. What followed was not for children and the faint-hearted.

At the start of Prasanth Parameswaran's over, if you had stopped him and said he was going to do worse than concede six sixes, he would have laughed it off. After all, he was a man who had stared Virender Sehwag in the face and nailed him in his first IPL over. Today was a different day, though.

Parameswaran chugged in and delivered a length ball first up, and Gayle carved it over point for a six. Parameswaran did not flinch; Sehwag had done likewise the other day before perishing. Today, Parameswaran's second ball was a slower ball. Bad idea. Even worse, it was a no-ball. Gayle slashed him for six more. The free-hit was thumped through midwicket. The next ball was thundered through the covers. By now, Parameswaran was clearly rattled, and he ran in robotically to delivery two more length balls. Six over cover, followed by a shimmy down the track and a 91m six over long off. The last ball was a high full toss, and Gayle inside-edged for four more. The over had gone for 37, and Parameswaran had a story his grandchildren would ask him to relate years from now. Kochi, meanwhile were looking at an early flight out. Dilshan ensured they would have enough time to beat the Bangalore traffic and make it to the airport in time.

Dilshan targets Test success with young attack

Tillakaratne Dilshan wants to become the first Sri Lanka captain to secure a Test series victory in England after leaving the IPL early to lead his team. Although they famously won the one-off clash at The Oval in 1998, when Muttiah Muralitharan took 16 wickets, their best results in a series on English soil is the 1-1 in 2006 which was again secured thanks to a matchwinning effort by Muralitharan Trent Bridge.


This time there is no Muralitharan, but Dilshan has promised not to take a backward step over the next month. "Beating England in their own conditions in the early part of summer is not going to be easy, we have to play very good cricket to do that," he said. "But I am really confident with our boys. As a team we can give England a good run. It's a good challenge for everyone. Before the team leaves for England I will have a word with my players. We are going there with only one intention - to win the series. We are not going there just to draw or to survive in England we want to beat them. We are going to England with that mindset. I am seriously looking forward to the upcoming series."


How determined Dilshan is with his new responsibility can be gauged by the fact that he has made himself available to lead his team for the three-day tour opener, against Middlesex, starting on May 14 which meant cutting short his commitments with Royal Challengers BangaIore in the ongoing IPL tournament in India.


Unlike past captains Dilshan does not have the luxury of matchwinning bowlers of the calibre of Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga all of whom have retired from Test cricket. However, he is confident with his new look bowling line-up, headed by Dilhara Fernando whose experience stretches to only 35 Tests and 90 wickets from a career spanning ten years, and believes team can match England, if not defeat them.


"We have to give the chance to youngsters and this is a good opportunity for them to prove how good they are at international cricket," he said. "As a captain I have a lot of confidence in my young bowlers that they can do a good job. I know the England batting line-up is very strong but I have faith with my fast bowlers and spinners that they can handle this batting line-up. I am sure these young fast bowlers will put their hands up and give their best to the team.


"We have only one experienced bowler in Dilhara but the others have the ability to deliver what they've got. With the help of fast bowling coach Champaka Ramanayake, and all the senior players who have played in England before, they can share their experience on how to adjust to the conditions in the early summer. This is a good challenge for me going with a set of young fast bowlers. As captain I have the fullest confidence that they can do a good job for Sri Lanka."


The bowlers picked to support Fernando are left-armer Chanaka Welegedara (six Tests, 12 wickets), Suranga Lakmal (two Tests, three wickets) and the uncapped pair of Nuwan Pradeep and Thisara Perera. Considering the career figures Sri Lanka's fast bowling looks pretty short of experience in comparison to the spin department. In Muralitharan's absence it will be handled by left-armer Rangana Herath (24 Tests, 78 wickets), Ajantha Mendis (15 Tests, 61 wickets) and Suraj Randiv (three Tests, 14 wickets).


Dilshan admitted that batting will be Sri Lanka's forte. "We have the same strong batting line-up we've had for the past four or five years in Test cricket. The only thing is the bowling unit is new and inexperienced. Our strength is batting but overall I am really happy with the 16-member squad. I have allrounders, spinners, fast bowlers and good batsmen. This team can turn out to be a good one in the future."


Dilshan's way of looking at everything positively is certain to rub off on the team. "I don't want to change my approach or attitude towards the game because I am captain. With my positive batting I have been very successful. I am not going to change too much from what I have been doing in the last three or four years. I have to adjust and take decisions in the middle which is the only change I foresee from what I have been doing. I am a positive character and I enjoy playing the game. I may sometimes take decisions which others might be surprised with. I think I can do a good job."


Already the responsibility of captaincy has brought a change in Dilshan. He has discarded his earring and done away with the tint in his hair. "As a captain I have to set an example for the youngsters. I have to maintain discipline both on and off the field. As captain I want to set a high standard on the field all the time. We are ambassadors of our country.


"The last few years we have played very good cricket, we have been runners up twice in the 50-over World Cup and once in the World Twenty20. We are a very consistent cricket team and I want to carry that forward by adding a few small things of my own. I need to discuss it with the new coach and coaching staff."


Dilshan's appointment as captain to succeed Kumar Sangakkara who stood down after the World Cup final defeat against India did come in for universal approval, but Dilshan isn't worried about winning any popularity contests. "If you take five people you can get five different views. Everyone can say different things about me but the Cricket Board and the selectors had the confidence to appoint me as captain," he said.


"As a cricketer it's a great achievement to captain your country. I think I am capable of leading this team and at the same time enjoy my captaincy. I am going to get 100 percent out of the players. As captain I may take surprise decisions for that's the kind of player I am. I am going with a positive frame of mind. I might turn out to be a different captain for Sri Lanka," said Dilshan.


Dilshan has still not celebrated his appointment as Sri Lanka captain, but wants to keep it until the end of the England tour. "I was a little bit excited when I first heard of my new appointment when I got a call from the cricket board. I was in India at that time and I spoke to my family and everyone was happy. I want to first finish the tour of England before celebrating the occasion." If Sri Lanka beat England he will have every right for a huge party.