No place for de Silva as Sri Lanka name 15 for one-day series

The Sri Lankan selectors confirmed this evening that there was no place for Aravinda de Silva in the 15-man squad for the First One-Day International at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Friday. He has been replaced by Romesh Kaluwitharana, who will keep wicket and is expected to open the batting with Sri Lankan captain, Sanath Jayasuriya.

The selectors, who watched England defeat a Sri Lankan board President's XI today by 51 runs, added four players to a previously earmarked eleven: Akalanka Ganegama, a fast bowler who took four wickets today, Thilan Samaraweera, the 24-year-old off-spinner and middle order batsmen, Lanka de Silva, the ex-international wicket-keeper, and Tillakaratne Dilshan. All four players departed for Dambulla immediately after the game today.

Sri Lanka are expected to play seven batsmen (Sanath Jayasuriya, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Russel Arnold, and Indika de Saram), two spinners (Muttiah Muralitharan and Kumar Dharmasena), and two fast bowlers (Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa) in the first game.

Full team:

Sanath Jayasuriya (Capt), Marvan Atapattu, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Russel Arnold, Indika de Saram, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Dharmasena, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Zoysa, Akalanka Ganegama, Lanka de Silva, Thilan Samaraweera