A fine performance by Sri Lanka’s spinners was capped by a stroke-filled 95 from opener Avishka Fernando as they brushed England aside by six wickets to move into the semi-final of the Under-19 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Feb-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsLegspinner Wanidu Hasaranga was Sri Lanka Under-19s’ best bowler with returns of 3 for 34•ICC

A fine performance by Sri Lanka’s spinners was capped by a stroke-filled 95 from opener Avishka Fernando as they brushed England aside by six wickets to move into the semi-final of the Under-19 World Cup.England had won the toss and opted to bat, a decision their captain Brad Taylor defended quite strongly at the presentation. “We didn’t think it did an awful lot early,” he said and thought 250 could have been within their reach had the middle overs gone better. As such they were all out for 184 without facing their full quota of overs.Not that the first few overs went England’s way either. Opener Dan Lawrence dragged one onto his stumps for 9, his partner Max Holden was caught at slip for 8 and the tournament’s top scorer Jack Burnham could only manage 11 at No. 3. Callum Taylor tried to resurrect the innings with 42 off 57 balls, but his wicket triggered a middle-order collapse. What would rankle England more was the ball that got Taylor lbw had pitched outside leg stump while he was playing a shot. England fell from 120 for 4 in the 35th over to 136 for 7 in the 40th as Sri Lanka strangled the innings with spin. Legbreak bowler Wanidu Hasaranga picked up 3 for 34.Out walked the Sri Lanka openers and cashed in 51 runs in eight overs before the lunch break. Avishka battered left-arm seamer Sam Curran for four successive fours in the third over and never looked back. He got to his 50 off 44 balls and looked set for a hundred until he chose to swipe at a bouncer he had originally seemed to duck under and was caught behind for 95. It was only a minor roadblock for Sri Lanka though, who coasted to victory with six wickets and 86 balls to spare.
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsA four-for from pacer Rory Anders skittled Canada Under-19s out for a paltry 139, paving the way for Ireland Under-19s’ six-wicket win in their semi-final playoff for the 13th place.Anders, with help from Gary McClintock (2-26) and Fiachra Tucker (2-21), ran through the Canada side, reducing them to 73 for 8 in the 26th over, vindicating Ireland’s decision to bowl in Cox’s Bazar. The little resistance that Canada put up came through partnerships for the last two wickets, guided by batsman Arslan Khan and tail-enders Shlok Patel and Prushoth Wijayaraj. Arslan, who top-scored with 47, shared a 29-run stand for the ninth wicket which pushed Canada’s score past 100, before the side’s No. 10 and No. 11 batsmen stitched together 37 runs for the last wicket, the highest partnership of the innings.A 75-run opening stand between Jack Tector and Stephen Doheny eased Ireland in their chase and the low target meant that a brief stutter, which reduced them to 103 for 4, was easily negated. McClintock played a role with the bat, too, guiding the side home with an unbeaten 45-ball 31.

New Zealand’s record in World T20s has been disappointing, but with a promising squad coming off dominant T20 wins at home, they will be confident of their chances this time

Brydon Coverdale14-Mar-20167:08

O’Brien: Taylor’s form will be pivotal to New Zealand’s campaign

Big picture

At the 50-over World Cup, New Zealand are often a bridesmaid, never the bride. Seven times they have reached the semi-finals, though not until last year did they win one and gain maid-of-honour status. But at the World T20, not since the first tournament back in 2007 have they so much as passed the group stage. Forget being a bridesmaid, New Zealand go home before the speeches even begin. It is a surprising record for a team like New Zealand, a side that generally boasts a few big hitters, some canny bowlers, and is viewed as a perpetual danger at world events. At least they enter the 2016 World T20 with some sort of form behind them, having won their past two series, against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, albeit in home conditions.This is also the start of a new era for New Zealand after the retirement of Brendon McCullum last month. He farewelled international cricket in front of a sparse crowd on the fifth day of a Test against Australia in Christchurch. The post-McCullum age begins on Tuesday, half a world away in Nagpur, where Kane Williamson will lead his country in a T20 against India. Not that New Zealand should be unprepared for change. In fact, McCullum had not played a T20 international since June last year, Williamson having led the side to six wins from their past eight matches.They have batsmen capable of quick scoring – Martin Guptill, Henry Nicholls, Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, Luke Ronchi and Williamson himself. They have all-round talent – Corey Anderson, Grant Elliott, Nathan McCullum, Mitchell Santner. They have quality specialist bowlers – Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Mitchell McClenaghan, Ish Sodhi. But the challenge is to transfer their recent form to spinning conditions against quality teams – India, Pakistan and Australia – in the group stage. New Zealand are No.4 on the ICC’s T20 rankings, and will feel they have something to prove.

At the helm

No one could accuse McCullum of going with the flow as captain. He instilled in his team a distinct ethos and was always trying new tactics on the field. He is a hard act to follow. Williamson might be the best batsman New Zealand will ever produce, but how will he lead? Will we see a less adventurous New Zealand? Will the spirit of the side carry on as if nothing has changed? Williamson has stood in as captain on many occasions, but this is the beginning of his own era. And he is only 25, so it could be a long one.

Key Stat

11That’s the number of wins New Zealand have managed in World T20 matches, from 25 games. Among ICC Full Members, only Zimbabwe and Bangladesh have had fewer victories than New Zealand at the past five tournaments. Incidentally, New Zealand have a remarkable habit of tying T20 matches. There have been nine ties in the history of T20 international cricket, and New Zealand have played in five of them.Martin Guptill – with the bat – and Kane Williamson – as captain – will play decisive roles in New Zealand’s campaign•Getty Images

Leading Men

Martin GuptillOnly McCullum and Tillakaratne Dilshan have scored more T20 international runs than the 1666 Guptill has made. Notably, though, his best work has been done in bilateral series rather than at the World T20, where he has managed only 269 runs at 19.21 and has yet to score a half-century. He has the potential to dominate a tournament like this and at 29 years of age, the time is now to do so. In the absence of McCullum, New Zealand need Guptill to step up.Grant ElliottAt the World Cup last year, Elliott showed that he can rise to the occasion. When he launched Dale Steyn for a six from the penultimate ball of New Zealand’s semi-final chase against South Africa in Auckland, he lifted a giant weight off the collective shoulders of New Zealand cricket. Before that moment they had appeared in six World Cup semi-finals for six losses. How New Zealand would love Elliott to bring his big-moment mentality to the 20-over version as well.Adam MilneTrent Boult and Tim Southee might be the big names in New Zealand’s attack but in conditions that are unlikely to offer much swing or seam, Milne’s pace through the air could be key to New Zealand’s hopes of restricting their opponents. A fast bowler who can crack the 150kph mark, Milne also has recent form on his side, as New Zealand’s leading T20 international wicket-taker over the last 12 months.

Burning Question

How will New Zealand go without Brendon McCullum?
It is one thing to lose McCullum the captain, quite another to lose McCullum the batsman. McCullum is the all-time leading run scorer in T20 internationals, the only man with 2000 runs in the format, the only man with two centuries. He chose to depart from international cricket in what he called “the purest form of the game”, but New Zealand could really have used him in this tournament. Williamson’s class will be important to New Zealand’s hopes, but there can be no passengers among the rest of the batting order. There will be plenty of pressure on Guptill, Williamson, Taylor and their more junior colleagues to cover for the loss of one of the shortest format’s finest exponents.

World T20 history

If New Zealand often perform above themselves at the 50-over World Cup, you would have to say they have underachieved at the World T20. Only once have they progressed past the group stage, and that was at the very first tournament back in 2007, when they lost a semi-final to Pakistan.

In their Own Words

“It’s important that we adapt. We’ve been playing some good T20 cricket but at the same time you want to play smart, and over here cricket can be quite different to our conditions.”

A round-up of all the news coming out of the IPL, on April 25, 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-2016Delhi Daredevils batsman Sanju Samson helped set up his team’s third win of the season, on Saturday, with 60 off 48 balls. Coming in at No.3, after Quinton de Kock was dismissed in the second over, Samson rebuilt the innings with allrounder JP Duminy and pressed on to score his fifth half-century against Mumbai Indians. Samson did so without taking too many risks, which is something Virat Kohli has mastered.”I picked up one big point from watching Virat bat,” Samson told . During each of his innings, he (Kohli) was scoring consistently. But the [important] thing was that he played risk-free cricket in the T20 format [during ICC World T20]. I think it is a great lesson [for] all youngsters that we can play risk-free cricket in T20 and get runs too and that’s what I applied today.”On 26 off 27 balls at one point, Samson took Harbhajan Singh for a six and a four in the 12th over. JP Duminy then took 22 runs off 11 balls from Jasprit Bumrah.”He [Duminy] gave me great support in the middle,” Samson said. “We had a good clear plan… It is mainly about targeting some opponents and some bowlers. The decision has to be clear. Against a good team like the Mumbai Indians we have to be very good in our planning and we were this time.”Samson also said he was looking forward to finish games for his side. “I love to finish games,” he said. “It takes a bit of character and it’s a great challenge to finish matches and win matches for your team.”“We prepared really well before the auction” – Raina
Playing their first IPL, Gujarat Lions have been the early pace-setters along with Kolkata Knight Riders, with four wins in five matches. Lions captain Suresh Raina attributed the team’s success to smart buys before and at the auction.Lions picked Raina himself, Ravindra Jadeja, Brendon McCullum, James Faulkner and Dwayne Bravo at the player draft in Mumbai in December and built their squad with a sprinkling of good Indian players at the auction.”We prepared really well before the auction,” Raina told . “We picked well at the auction and got a bunch of players we wanted. We have won four of our five matches so far and for that the credit goes to the coaching staff of Hodgy (Brad Hodge), Heath Streak, Shitanshu Kotak and all the members of the support staff.”Raina said that his captaincy benefitted from his association with MS Dhoni over the “last 10-15 years”.”I have learnt a lot from the likes of Baz [McCullum], Bravo, Fleming and MS Dhoni,” Raina said. “I have spent a lot of time with MS over the last 10-15 years and I have seen how he goes about his job as a captain before and during a game. I keep talking to him and asking him questions in the field, standing at slip or point, as to what he is thinking and why he made a particular move.”

Joe Denly made his first century of the season but four wickets after tea left the opening day between Northamptonshire and Kent quite even

ECB Reporters Network15-May-2016
ScorecardMonty Panesar celebrates his first Northamptonshire wicket since 2009•Getty Images

Joe Denly made his first century of the season but four wickets after tea left the opening day between Northamptonshire and Kent quite even, with the visitors closing 300 for 7 after winning the toss. There were also two wickets for Monty Panesar – his first for Northamptonshire since 2009 – on his return to the county where he started his career.Denly’s only previous innings of note was a half-century against Glamorgan but here he looked assured, drove the ball smartly, and went through to three figures in 207 balls with 12 fours.He might have departed for 26 had Panesar, on his comeback, claimed a sharp caught-and-bowled chance; one of three missed chances for the hosts in the morning session. But Denly took advantage and, having resumed 92 after tea, drove Panesar for four in the second over after the break and was soon celebrating a third Championship century back in Kent colours, having rejoined at the start of last season.Panesar’s return was for the most part less noteworthy, wheeling away for 31 overs on a docile wicket, but he did claim a second caught-and-bowled opportunity, this time offered from Sam Northeast on 49, that he took low down by his left boot, before having Calum Haggett caught behind four overs from the close. It was a fair return, seven years on from his last appearance for Northants.”I’ve really enjoyed my first day back,” Panesar said. “It was nice to get a good workload in. I was nervy first thing but I got some rhythm going. The first chance came at me harder than expected but the second chance was one of my best catches.”Northeast’s wicket was the first of several tame dismissals that saw Kent fail to take full advantage of their strong position. At 202 for 2 they were in control of the day but after Northeast departed, no other partnership breached 30.Sean Dickson tried to lift Rob Keogh – also making his first appearance of the season – down the ground, only for Alex Wakely to leap to his right from mid-off and claim a stunning one-handed catch. The celebration was surely learned from Shahid Afridi in his time at Wantage Road last season.Darren Stevens fell in the first over of the second new ball, clipping Rory Kleinveldt straight to square leg. Adam Rouse fell in similar fashion looking to hit Kleinveldt through the leg side, only to get a looping leading edge to cover giving Wakely a much easier catch.Northants should have been in a much better position earlier in the day, having broken Kent’s opening stand in the fifth over, Wakely helping to run out Tom Latham.Panesar’s miss of Denly was the second of the three early chances to go down. Richard Levi twice spilled Daniel Bell-Drummond in the slips, first on 9 and then on 26. But Bell-Drummond couldn’t take full advantage as Northants finally did hold a catch after lunch with Kleinveldt taking Bell-Drummond for 47 at first slip. By then he had helped Denly put on 85 for the second wicket as Kent made a solid start.

Denesh Ramdin has indicated he will not be part of West Indies’ squad in the upcoming Test series against India, which begins in Antigua on July 21

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jul-2016Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin has indicated he will not be part of West Indies’ squad in the upcoming series against India, which begins in Antigua on July 21. West Indies have not announced their squad yet, but Ramdin gave his fans a “heads up” on Twitter, suggesting the “new chairman” had spoken to him of his sacking.
Courtney Browne, the former West Indies wicketkeeper, had replaced Clive Lloyd as West Indies’ chairman of selectors in June.Ramdin has played 74 Tests and has scored 2898 runs at an average of 25.87. He captained West Indies in 13 Tests before Jason Holder replaced him in September 2015. Ramdin scored 59 and 62 in his most recent Test innings, during West Indies’ 2015-16 tour of Australia, and alluded to those scores while voicing his frustration.
West Indies have not played any Tests since that tour. In their last international assignment, the ODI tri-series last month, Ramdin scored 197 runs at 28.14, with a highest of 91 against Australia in Bridgetown.

Ben Duckett continued his prolific form as Northamptonshire reignited their Royal London Cup campaign with a 23-run victory against Worcestershire at New Road

ECB Reporters Network27-Jul-2016
ScorecardBen Duckett made more important runs at New Road•Getty Images

Ben Duckett continued his prolific form as Northamptonshire reignited their Royal London Cup campaign with a 23-run victory against Worcestershire at New Road. An eye-catching knock of 86 from 75 balls took the 21-year-old’s nine-day tally to 631 from seven innings for his county and England Lions but it was a close-run thing as Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s first List A century kept the home side in contention for their 320 target.It was not until the 45th over that left-arm spinner Graeme White landed the knockout blows in three balls. The dangerous Ross Whitley was caught on the long-on boundary for 22 and Kohler-Cadmore was effectively yorked for 119 after hitting 11 fours and a six from 126 balls.Duckett, fresh from his undefeated scores of 163 and 220 on international duty, returned to county action on Tuesday by making 46 in a defeat by Warwickshire at Edgbaston and then moved 35 miles down the road to lead Northants to an imposing 319 for 7.On a damp morning, skipper Alex Wakeley may have feared the worst on losing the toss for the seventh time in seven matches in the 50-over competition, but Duckett and Adam Rossington, who played equally well for 87, corrected an early wobble. Their partnership of 99 in 16 overs gave the innings shape and substance before the big hitters, Steven Crook (52 not out) and Rory Kleinveldt smashed 76 in nine overs.The late charge, which ended in the last over when Kleinveldt holed out to deep square leg after hitting two sixes and four fours, meant that for Worcestershire to win they would have to surpass their chasing record in List A cricket.They made a bold attempt. After a bright 43 by Daryl Mitchell, Kohler-Cadmore and Tom Fell broke the back of the target in a relatively trouble-free partnership of 125 in 18 overs. Northants were in need of inspiration when Richard Gleeson broke through by bowling Fell for 54, a well-crafted, unflustered innings with only four boundaries from 50 deliveries.Wickets then began to fall. White, who finished with 3 for 59, held a straightforward return catch from Alexei Kervezee and Brett D’Olveira played on to Kleinveldt. Whiteley rattled the pavilion roof with one of his two sixes but momentum was lost with White’s double intervention and the challenge petered out with the last three wickets in five balls giving Gleeson 5 for 47, his best in professional cricket.The match began 10 minutes late because of rain and Northants lost a wicket in the Joe Leach’s first over when Josh Cobb angled a catch to D’Oliveira at point. Rob Keogh and Wakely later went in quick succession and Worcestershire miss an opportunity when Jack Shantry was unable to hold a low, one-handed chance from Duckett. The batsman was then on 33 and the cost quickly multiplied until he finished with one six and 12 fours when mistiming a pull off Leach.

South Australia fast bowler Joe Mennie has expressed his surprise for being named in Australia’s ODI squad to tour South Africa later this month

Brydon Coverdale05-Sep-2016Six weeks ago, Joe Mennie was happily flying under the radar, much as he has for the past few years. A call-up for Australia A was exciting, but his attitude remained the same. “I’m not one for putting myself out there massively,” Mennie told ESPNcricinfo at the time. “I’m at the stage where not a lot of people, unless you really know cricket, know my name. I’m not too dissatisfied with that.”But that desire sat at odds with his other goal: to play for Australia. Now, that is about to become a reality for Mennie, who has been named in Australia’s ODI squad to tour South Africa later this month. His name will not only be known, but will be emblazoned on the back of an Australia shirt. It is a scenario that is yet to sink in for Mennie.”I was very shocked actually,” Mennie told reporters in Adelaide on Monday. “I got the call from [national selector] Rod Marsh and I didn’t know what to say, there was a bit of silence on both ends from us. It was something I didn’t see coming and something I’m very happy with and looking forward to.”Mennie is one of three uncapped fast bowlers picked in the ODI squad, along with his South Australia team-mate Daniel Worrall and Victoria’s Chris Tremain. All three having been performing well for Australia A over the past few weeks in Queensland, and with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood rested for the South Africa tour, space opened up for some fresh faces.Perhaps the most surprising thing for Mennie is that his chance has arrived in one-day cricket, which has not been his strongest format. Last summer in the Matador Cup, Mennie picked up seven wickets at 50.85 and conceded more than five an over, while he topped the wickets tally in the Sheffield Shield. However, he believes the call-up has come at the best possible time.”The body is feeling good, the ball is coming out the best it ever has, so from that point of view I’m hitting my straps pretty well and probably you’d say the form of my career,” Mennie said. “The last couple of years I’ve hit my straps and found my game. I was really happy to get the opportunity to represent Australia A and then to get the call-up for the one-day tournament coming up is very pleasing.”Although Mennie does not possess the sheer pace preferred by Australia’s selectors – he tends to operate around the 130kph mark – his consistency and accuracy have been key features of his game over the past few seasons. At least his record in South Africa is encouraging, if brief: five wickets at 14.60 for the Perth Scorchers during the 2012 Champions League T20.Stepping up to international cricket will be a different challenge for Mennie, who will find himself competing with Worrall, Tremain, John Hastings and Scott Boland for the positions as specialist fast men during the South African trip.”That’s the next test for me, going over and putting what I do well into practice in that next level,” Mennie said. “That’s where a lot of people come undone. That’s the next challenge for me. It’s about me performing and doing what I do.”

Fast bowler Kesrick Williams has been called into the West Indies T20 squad for the three-match series against Pakistan beginning on September 23 in Dubai as a replacement for allrounder Andre Russell

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Sep-2016Fast bowler Kesrick Williams has been called into the West Indies T20 squad for the three-match series against Pakistan beginning on September 23 in Dubai as a replacement for allrounder Andre Russell. According to a release sent out by the West Indies Cricket Board, Russell “asked to withdraw from the series to attend to a personal matter”.

West Indies T20 squad

Carlos Brathwaite (capt), Samuel Badree, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Jason Holder, Evin Lewis, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton, Kesrick Williams
In: Kesrick Williams
Out: Andre Russell

Despite playing just nine first-class games and six List A matches in his career, the last of which came in 2014, Williams emerged as a consistent threat in this year’s Caribbean Premier League, playing for the champions Jamaica Tallawahs. Williams, 26, was a bargain after being drafted in the 13th round for a price of just $5000 before going on to finish third overall with 17 wickets in the competition behind only Sohail Tanvir and Dwayne Bravo.Russell was set to face a Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) on September 19 and 20 for allegedly missing three tests but it is not known if this is the reason for his decision to withdraw from the Pakistan series.Russell, 28, has been a leading player in the T20 format in recent times. He played a crucial role in West Indies winning the 2016 World T20 title in March and April, and is a key performer in domestic leagues around the world. Russell was part of winning campaigns for Sydney Thunder in the 2015-16 Big Bash League, for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League in February, and Jamaica Tallawahs in the CPL in August.

A round-up of the Ranji Trophy Group C matches played on October 28, 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2016D Siva Kumar took his sixth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket to help Andhra gain a 150-run first-innings lead over Haryana at the Wankhede Stadium. Having bowled Haryana out for 103, Andhra lost three second-innings wickets in extending their lead to 245, with Hanuma Vihari and KR Sreekanth putting on 61 for the third wicket before the latter fell an over from stumps.Resuming on 217 for 6 in their first innings, Andhra lost their last four wickets in just 10.3 overs, for the addition of 36 runs, as the legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal finished with figures of 5 for 81. Haryana’s response lasted only 45.3 overs, with only the debutant opener Virender Dahiya and No. 6 Shubham Rohilla passing 20 as Siva Kumar ran through their line-up.Kerala chipped away at Chhattisgarh‘s line-up to move towards a narrow first-innings lead in Jamshedpur. Replying to Kerala’s 207, Chhattisgarh went to stumps 179 for 9, having scored their runs at less than two an over as spinners Karaparambil Monish, Jalaj Saxena and Iqbal Abdulla ended the day with combined figures of 63-19-110-8.Five Chhattisgarh batsmen got to 20, but none of them carried on as far as 40, with Sumit Ruikar, batting on 21 at stumps, key to their chances of taking the lead. Earlier in the day, Ruikar had taken Kerala’s last two wickets with his left-arm spin to finish with figures of 5 for 50. Kerala, resuming on 194 for 8, only managed to add 13 to their total.Overnight centurion Rahul Singh stretched his score to 182 as Services posted 477 in their first innings against Jammu & Kashmir. Parvez Rasool chipped away at the wickets to finish with figures of 48.5-11-117-5, his eighth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket and his second of the season, as Services added 190 to their overnight total of 287 for 3. Rahul was seventh out for a 276-ball 182, with 21 fours, before the last three wickets added 54 between them. In reply, J&K were 96 for 1, with Shubham Khajuria batting on 34 and Ian Dev Singh on 30.Tripura moved towards a useful first-innings lead as Goa, replying to 283, went to stumps 220 for 8 in Bhubaneswar. Opener Swapnil Asnodkar scored 57 and added 71 for the third wicket with Snehal Kauthankar to move Goa to a strong 137 for 2 before Tripura struck back with six wickets for 83 runs to hold a clear edge at stumps. Left-arm spinner Gurinder Singh was Tripura’s most successful bowler with figures of 3 for 40, while seamers Manisankar Murasingh and Bunti Roy took two wickets each.

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said that an expert medical panel had advised him rest with the aim of getting fit for the South Africa tour in December, after a scan showed multiple leg injuries

Sa'adi Thawfeeq25-Oct-20162:37

‘We are all behind Herath’ – Mathews

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews has said he pulled out of the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe because an MRI scan revealed several injuries to his leg. He said the decision was taken to help him recover in time for the tour of South Africa in December.”I had about one-and-a-half months to recover and I was preparing myself to be ready for the Zimbabwe tour,” Mathews, who had torn his calf during the ODIs against Australia in August and September, said. “Unfortunately there has been a setback.”We did an MRI scan, which revealed that I had multiple injuries on the same leg. I had to pull out after the expert medical panel advised me and [told] SLC not to send me to Zimbabwe because it might jeopardise my chances of playing in South Africa. We are planning to take a closer look at why this is happening. The doctors have advised rest, and the recovery can be earlier than that or more; we will have to play it by ear.”Mathews had been named in the original squad for Zimbabwe, but was ruled out last week. He is expected to be out of action for three weeks and is doubtful for the tri-series in Zimbabwe, also involving West Indies, that follows the Tests.Rangana Herath was appointed captain for the Tests in Zimbabwe, while batsman Upul Tharanga took Mathews’ place in the squad.Sri Lanka have a depleted team for Zimbabwe. Vice-captain Dinesh Chandimal, and fast bowlers Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Pradeep and Dushmantha Chameera were also ruled out due to injuries. The pace attack in Zimbabwe will be led by Suranga Lakmal.Chandimal was unavailable for the Tests due to a thumb injury for which he underwent surgery in September, but was hopeful of playing the tri-series, which starts from November 14.Herath, who will be only the second bowler to lead Sri Lanka in Tests, said the team was confident of a good performance in Zimbabwe after a 3-0 series sweep of Australia at home in August.”If you take our performance in the recent Test series against Australia, the confidence we gained from the 3-0 win will be very beneficial to us,” Herath said before the team’s departure. “The team’s confidence levels are very high after that victory. The team that I have I am confident can perform well in Zimbabwe.”SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala blamed the spate of injuries on poor player management and said the board will address the issue of workloads.Suranga Lakmal’s workload is worrisome, says SLC president•AFP

“We have not managed our players properly for the last three years,” Sumathipala said. “We have good cricketers who have come in from Under-19, U-23 and club level, but once they reach the top level they can’t sustain their physical condition because they have been badly managed.”Mathews is a world-class allrounder and there is so much demand and so much of pressure on his body that it’s not easy for a person like him to be without an injury unless he has a proper scientific approach.”Mathews had the highest number of match days in the past 18 months. At this level a player simply cannot go on. He has to pull out and take a genuine break for the body to recover. We don’t have enough recovery time.”Sumathipala said the possibility of Lakmal going on the South Africa tour without a proper break highlighted how important workload management was for players, particularly bowlers.”You have to make an assessment of the player and then based on the assessment you make a permanent study of the player, which you call player management,” Sumathipala said. “If there is a fast bowler who has bowled 100 overs, there should be a study saying that after 18-20 overs you have to stand him down and pull him out of the game to let him recover physically, which we don’t do. We never had proper player management.”Someone like Suranga Lakmal is being excessively used. Our most important tour is definitely to South Africa. Can we go on this tour without Lakmal being given a break?”Sumathipala said SLC was studying players during matches and practice sessions and would give them a programme to follow. He also said poor practice facilities resulted in injuries to fast bowlers.”We don’t have a single strip in this country with the impact pads on the bowlers’ run-up,” Sumathipala said. “The indoor nets have normal concrete run-ups and the bowlers go and land their foot at such speed and with so much weight of the body every day. This is one way they get injured. We have to change all the run-ups and have impact pads on them.”Sri Lanka’s first Test against Zimbabwe will be played in Harare from October 29, while the second match is scheduled to start from November 6. The two teams last played a Test in May 2004 in Bulawayo.