The Hindu : Sport : Sri Lankans looking for a clean sweep

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Wednesday, Jul 11, 2007
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Sri Lankans looking for a clean sweep

— Photo: AFP

READY FOR A HIT: Upul Tharanga, who has recovered from injury, will play in the third Test against Bangladesh.

KANDY: Sri Lanka’s left-handed opening batsman Upul Tharanga has recovered from a fractured left heel and will play in the third and final Test against Bangladesh, as the host aims to sweep the series 3-0, skipper Mahela Jayawardene said here on Tuesday.

Tharanga suffered the injury while facing teammate Lasith Malinga during a practice session and missed the first two Tests in Colombo.

“Upul is our No. 1 choice for the opener’s role. So, one of the other openers will have to sit out,” Jayawardene said.

Tough decision

Stand-in openers Michael Vandort and Malinda Warnapura have done well in the first two Tests and it will be a tough decision for the selectors to choose who will partner Tharanga.

Vandort scored a century in the first Test, while Warnapura, another left-hander, scored 82 in the second Test after a first ball duck in the first match.

“At the moment, it’s touch and go between Vandort and Warnapura. We have to take a decision,” Jayawardene said.

Veteran seamer Chaminda Vaas, returning to play for English county Middlesex, has opened a chance for the 22-year-old Farveez Maharoof to play in the third Test and the selectors are also considering giving left-arm seam bowler Sujeewa de Silva his first match in five years.

Two changes likely

Bangladesh, meanwhile, is likely to make two changes to the side that lost the second Test.

It is likely to bring in left-arm seamer Syed Rasel to replace Mohammad Sharif, who failed to take a wicket in the previous Test and batsman Tushar Imran may come in for Mehrab Hossain. Bangladesh is looking to salvage some pride after two disastrous games in Colombo.

It lost the first Test at the Sinhalese Sport Club ground by an innings and 234 runs and the second game by an innings and 90 runs.

But, one positive for the tourist was a record-breaking partnership between captain Mohammad Ashraful and teenage batsman Mushfiqur Rahim.

The pair added 191 runs for the sixth wicket, a new Bangladesh record for any wicket against any country. “We certainly had a few positives coming out in the previous Test.

“We will try to keep improving. We know that we can do better,” Ashraful said. “One of the areas that we have to improve on is to show a lot of patience in playing Test cricket,” he added.

“The partnership helped us drag the game further. It also gave a couple of guys confidence. At one moment we looked set to take the game to the fourth day. But, one wicket fell and from thereon we lost our way.”

The teams (from):

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (Capt.), Upul Tharanga, Michael Vandort, Malinda Warnapura, Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Silva, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Prasanna Jayawardene, Farveez Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralith aran, Malinga Bandara and Sujeewa de Silva.

Bangladesh: Mohammad Ashraful (Capt.), Javed Omar, Shahriar Nafees, Rajin Saleh, Habibul Bashar, Mehrab Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shahadat Hossain, Mashrafe Mortaza, Mohammad Rafique, Mohammad Sharif, Abdur Razzak, Khaled Mashud, Shaki b Al Hasan and Syed Rasel.

Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (South Africa) and Suresh Shastri (India); Third umpire: Ranmore Martinez (Sri Lanka); Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZ). — AP

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