Sri Lanka recall Tillakaratne for World Cup

Charlie Austin

December 26, 2002

Sri Lanka's selectors have recalled veteran left-hander Hashan Tillakaratne to their 15-man squad for the ICC World Cup next February.

Tillakaratne, now 35, one will be Sri Lanka's reserve wicket-keeper, replacing the popular gloveman Romesh Kaluwithrana.

Kaluwitharana, 33, was not included in Sri Lanka's provisional 30-man World Cup but had been rushed back for the Australia after his prolific run scoring in domestic cricket.

But the naturally aggressive right-hander failed to convince the three-man selection panel, scoring six and 35 in matches against England and Australia.

With Sri Lanka desperate for greater solidity in middle order after losing seven of their last eight games, the selectors have plumped instead for Tillakaratne who has only played two one-day games since the 1999 World Cup in England.

But the left-hander has scored prolifically since returning to the Test side in 2001 and became the first Sri Lankan to score a Test century on South African soil during the recent tour.

Hard-hitting opener Avishka Gunawardene also makes the cut despite not playing an international game since July.

Seam bowler Buddika Fernando, who last played in the Morocco Cup, is the final addition to the squad, taking the place of pace bowler Nuwan Zoysa, who failed to play a game in the ongoing tri-series after a lackluster performance against Australia A.

Zoysa, Kaluwitharana, left-arm seamer Sujeewa de Silva and off-spinner Thilan Samaraweera, who acted as cover for the injured Muttiah Muralitharan in the first part of the Australia tour, will now leave Australia.

Tillakaratne and Gunwardene will join the squad in Australia for the second leg of the VB Series that re-starts on January 8 after the final Ashes Test.

Aravinda de Silva, who missed Sri Lanka's first three games because of personal reasons, will also be joining the squad, which will be bidding to regain form and confidence before the 14-nation tournament in South Africa.

Sri Lanka's squad includes nine frontline batsmen (two of whom also keep wicket), one specialist spinner and five fast bowlers.

The absence of an all-rounder is final recognition of the dearth of genuine all-rounders in Sri Lankan cricket at the present. That means that Sri Lanka will be forced to play seven batsmen and four specialist bowlers in their final eleven.

Part-time bowlers Sanath Jayasuriya, Russel Arnold and De Silva will fill provide support, contributing a minimum of ten overs between them.

The squad is yet to be ratified by the sports ministry but the players are expected to depart shortly for Australia as Sri Lanka play a practice match at Melbourne on New Years Day.

Sri Lanka's players are still to sign mandatory commercial contracts for the World Cup after the Sri Lankan cricket board refused a demand for an 18 per cent revenue share for forgoing the right to personal endorsements with products that conflict with the official World Cup sponsors.

Full squad:

Sanath Jayasuriya (Capt), Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Aravinda de Silva, Russel Arnold, Jehan Mubarak, Avishka Gunawardene, Hashan Tillakaratne, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando, Pulasthi Gunaratne, Prabath Nissanka, Charitha Buddika Fernando

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