Sri Lanka will be without batsman Kumar Sangakkara
for the remainder of their tour of Australia, after scans revealed a
fracture to his left hand, where he was hit by a Mitchell Johnson
bouncer during the Boxing Day Test. Sangakkara will undergo surgery this evening and will be unavailable for six to eight weeks, as he recovers. Fast bowler Chanaka Welegedara has also been ruled out of the Sydney Test with a hamstring injury, and will likely fly home, having not been named in the limited overs squads.
Sri Lanka are also waiting on the fitness of wicketkeeper Prasanna
Jayawardene and fast bowler Nuwan Kulasekara, who are both suffering
from hairline fractures. Jayawardene sustained his injury during Sri
Lanka's first innings, when Johnson hit him on the right thumb.
Kulasekara meanwhile had been complaining of soreness in the ribs after
being hit there while batting on the fifth day in Hobart, before scans
on Thursday revealed he had a cracked rib.
Sangakkara was hit on the bottom hand while fending a short ball after
lunch, and immediately called for the physiotherapist upon crossing for a
single. The removal of his glove revealed significant swelling on the
bottom of his index finger, and he left the field for the hospital soon
after.
The three injuries in the game meant that Sri Lanka only had eight
batsmen who could complete their innings in the second dig. Their
innings ended at 103 on day three, when they slipped to an innings and
201-run defeat. Sangakkara is the side's leading batsman, while
Welegedara is considered the leader of Sri Lanka's pace attack and had
been their top wicket-taker in the first Test.
Dinesh Chandimal is the only reserve batsman on tour, and is almost
certain to be included in the XI for the Sydney Test that begins on
January 3. He has also kept wickets for Sri Lanka in Tests, and will
take the gloves if Jayawardene is unfit to play. Lahiru Thirimanne is on
stand-by for the tour, and may also be flown in as cover.
Among the fast bowling reserves, Nuwan Pradeep may earn a start in
Sydney, if three seam bowlers are required and Kulasekara cannot play,
while Thisara Perera may also be brought into the squad. Perera is
already in Australia, playing for the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash
League.
0 comments:
Post a Comment