The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Three new faces in Sri Lanka squad

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Friday, Apr 09, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Three new faces in Sri Lanka squad

COLOMBO, APRIL 8. Sri Lanka has picked three uncapped players in a 16-man squad for the five-match one-day series against Zimbabwe.

The selectors included left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, 19-year-old fast bowling all-rounder Farveez Maharoof and 21-year-old middle-order batsman Thilina Kandamby in the team.

Kandamby forms part of an eight-man batting unit that also includes the inexperienced Saman Jayantha and left-hander Russel Arnold, who has bounced back to form in domestic cricket.

The squad will be captained by Marvan Atapattu, who has also taken over from Hashan Tillakaratne in Tests.

Pace bowler Dilhara Fernando makes a return following his recuperation from a back injury after proving his fitness during the recent Sri Lanka `A' series in New Zealand.

Sri Lanka is to play five one-day internationals and two Tests with the first one-dayer in Bulawayo on April 20 and the first Test in Harare from May 6.

Muttiah Muralitharan can continue to play despite being reported for a suspect action.

With 513 wickets, he is poised to overhaul the world record of 519 held by West Indies' Courtney Walsh.

The squad: Marvan Atapattu (capt.), Mahela Jayawardene (vice-capt.), Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Russel Arnold, Saman Jayantha, Thilina Kandamby, Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Zoysa, Dilhara Fernando, Nuwan Kulasekera, Farveez Maharoof, Muttiah Muralitharan, Upul Chandana and Rangana Herath. — Reuters

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