To add to their woes vice-captain, top batter and wicket-keeper Dinesh Chandimal won’t be making the tour to Zimbabwe as he has still not fully recovered from a thumb injury which he sustained playing in a Mercantile ‘A’ division match last month. The injury required surgery.

Chandimal’s place is filled by the Sri Lanka Army SC’s uncapped 30-year-old right-hand batting all-rounder Asela Gunaratne who has been amongst the runs in the ongoing unofficial test series against West Indies A.

Chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya stated that he was hopeful that Chandimal would recover in time for the one-day tri-series against Zimbabwe and West Indies that starts at Harare on November 14.

The two Tests against Zimbabwe are scheduled to be played at Harare from October 29-November 2 and November 6-10.

The delay in releasing the squad which was picked over a week ago was due to the fitness concerns surrounding key players especially the fast bowlers..

Eventually the Lankan selectors were left with only Suranga Lakmal as the fast bowler who was fit for selection amongst the experienced lot.

How weak the Lankan pace bowling line-up is can be gauged by the fact that Lakmal although being the most experienced of the five fast bowlers picked for the tour has never produced a five-wicket innings haul in Tests in the six years he has played for his country. In 29 Tests he has 60 wickets at an average which is usually associated with a batsman – 49.40. The selectors have no option but to pick him as the spearhead of the fast bowling attack.

“We have picked the best possible line-up of fast bowlers available to us,” said chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya.

“Kasun Madushanka has been bowling well in the ongoing series against West Indies A and Lahiru Gamage is the most experienced Sri Lanka A bowler we have. We picked Lahiru Kumara (Sri Lanka under 19 bowler) because he is good potential for the future,” he said.

All three fast bowlers are uncapped along with Gunaratne. Adding to the woes of the long list of fast bowling injuries are two young fast bowlers Asitha Fernando (hamstring) and Vishwa Fernando (back injury).

Sri Lanka are already beset by injuries to key fast bowlers Dhammika Prasad (shoulder), Nuwan Pradeep (hamstring), Dushmantha Chameera (back stress fracture) and one-day specialist Lasith Malinga (knee). They have also lost the services of Shaminda Eranga reported for a suspect bowling action.

In the absence of Chandimal, Jayasuriya said that Niroshan Dickwella who has been picked in the squad would most probably be taking over the wicket-keeping gloves although there is also Kusal Perera who has kept wickets for Sri Lanka in Tests.

Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva are the two established openers, but Perera can also play the dual-purpose role of opener or late order batsman. The Lankan batting seems settled with the exception of Chandimal whose absence will put extra pressure on the rest of the batters to perform.

The spin department is once again headed by the experienced and most capped current Sri Lanka Test player left-armer Rangana Herath who will be supported by off-spinner Dilruwan Perera and left-arm chinaman Lakshan Sandakan.

West Indies A who resumed at 183-5 lost their remaining five wickets for 32 runs to give Sri Lanka A useful 75-run lead on the first innings.

By the close of the third day Sri Lanka A had stretched that lead to 286 going into the fourth and final day.

Both teams are level at one-win apiece in the three-match series and the onus is now on Sri Lanka A to push for a series win. West Indies A skipper Shamarh Brooks who was 43 not out overnight completed his half century but apart from a contribution of 25 from Rahkeem Cornwall the rest of the West Indies batting was consumed by Madushanka and Sandakan.

Sri Lanka A once again got off to a good start with Kusal Perera and Sandun Weerakkody posting 67 before West Indies A broke through. Weerakkody followed his first innings knock of 79 with another fine innings of 48 off 36 balls with seven fours.

Off-spinner Cornwall continued to revel against the overloaded Sri Lanka A left-hand batting line up and threatened to run through the innings. But Asela Gunaratne produced an excellent innings of 69 inclusive of 10 fours to ensure Sri Lanka A did not lose the advantage given to them by their bowlers. Cornwall picked up four of the five wickets to fall to take his series tally to 23 wickets.

By stumps on the second day West Indies A replying to Sri Lanka A’s first innings of 318 had made 183 for four wickets to trail by 135 runs with six first innings wickets in hand.

Sri Lanka A resuming at their overnight total of 272-7 added a further 46 runs for their remaining three wickets to be dismissed for 318.

Left-arm fast bowler Delorn Johnson took two of the wickets to finish with figures of 4 for 65 but not before West Indies A were frustrated by a last wicket stand of 32 between Kasun Madushanka (20) and Lahiru Gamage (12 n.o.).

Roshen Silva who resumed at 40 failed to complete his half-century being dismissed for 49 by edging a catch behind the wicket to Jahmar Hamilton to give Kemar Roach his only wicket.

West Indies A began poorly losing both openers to be 35 for 2, but a superb knock of 94 off 93 balls from 19-year-old Guyanian Shimron Hetmyer steadied the innings.

Hetmyer who stroked 17 fours in his delightful knock shared a century stand with his skipper Shamarh Brooks who was unbeaten on 43 at the close. The three-match series is tied at one-all.