da doce： MUTTIAH MURALITHARAN was the lone spinner named today in Sri Lanka’s teamfor the upcoming tour of South Africa as the selectors reposed their faithin fast bowlers
Pat Symcox30-Oct-2002MUTTIAH MURALITHARAN was the lone spinner named today in Sri Lanka’s teamfor the upcoming tour of South Africa as the selectors reposed their faithin fast bowlers.The 16-man squad for next month’s two-Test series has seven new ballbowlers, showing that memories of their previous tours to South Africa haveremained in the minds of those who care to remember.The squad includes rookie left-arm quick Thilin Thushara Mirando, consideredone of the fastest bowlers in the country.All-rounder Hasantha Fernando and right-arm medium pacer Tharanga Lakshithaare the other new faces in the team captained by dashing left-hander SanathJayasuriya.Seasoned Chaminda Vaas will be supported by Dilhara Fernando, Sujeewa deSilva, Chamila Gamage, Ruchira Perera, Mirando and Lakshitha.While Vaas has played 62 Tests, the remaining six have a combined experienceof only 21 Tests between them.The Tests are scheduled to be played at Johannesburg November 8-12 and atCenturion, near Pretoria, November 15-19. Both of these venues are pacefriendly and provide plenty of bounce.A separate squad will be named for five one-day internationals Sri Lankawill play in South Africa after the Test series.Aravinda de Silva’s retirement from Test cricket, announced on Thursday,gives tall left-hander Jehan Mubarak a chance to make his first tour withthe senior squad after his debut at home against Bangladesh earlier in theseason.Prasanna Jayawardene is the lone specialist wicket-keeper in the squad,although batsman Kumar Sangakkara has kept wickets in both Test and one-daycricket.Sri Lanka’s Test squad (age, number of Tests in brackets):Sanath Jayasuriya (capt, 33, 75), Marvan Atapattu (vice-capt, 31, 59), KumarSangakkara (24, 24), Mahela Jayawardena (25, 45), Russel Arnold (28, 41),Hashan Tillakaratne (35, 71), Jehan Mubarak (21, 1), Hasantha Fernando (22,0), Chaminda Vaas (28, 62), Dilhara Fernando (23, 11), Sujeewa de Silva (22,2), Ruchira Perera (25, 7), Chamila Gamage (23, 1), Thilin Thushara Mirando(20, 0), Tharanga Lakshitha (20, 0), Muttiah Muralitharan (30, 76), PrasannaJayawardene (22Coach: Dave Whatmore.