Accordingly, the current scenario is of tremendous expectancy in a changed outlook of several colts that have come on the blocks who will strive to make their cricketing dream come true. Of significance to the Sri Lankan crusade is the presence of veteran campaigner Upul Tharanga back with a bang from an ODI century against South Africa and his consistency with the bat in leading the T20 team to the preceding series triumph. His T20 captaincy performance has been an apparent plus factor to the recall of the 32-year old veteran of 25 Test outings in ousting regular opener Kaushal di Silva for the opening berth. He has a moderate aggregate of 1400 runs from 46 innings with a highest of 165. He is epected to beef up the batting upfront pairing with Dimuth Karunaratne back from an on trial reprieve that he came through with a double ton against England A in the unofficial second test match. Also buoying is the apparent cementing of Test places by wicket-keeper batsman Niroshan Dickwella and Asela Gunaratne as specialist batsmen, and as much the naming of the 29-year old spin cum utility player Malinda Pushpakumara. While Dickwella and Gunaratne literally nudged the selectors by some fine performances in the instant cricket in South Africa after being omitted for the Test series, Pushpakumara, the former Lumbini MV, Colombo and Chilaw Marians player has been in top form with the ball heading the domestic averages. His 13-wicket haul and match sealing boundary in Sri Lanka A’s win against England A in the second unofficial Test was high stuff at that level that has thrust him on the threshold of winning his national cap against Bangladesh for the first Test starting on March 7 at the Galle Esplanade.

All in all, the squad does carry a lineup of some promising youngsters along with a string of campaigners who have been around long enough to test Bangladesh to the extreme in favourable home conditions. An added dimension to the Sri Lankan official ranks is of course that former top campaigner, Asanka Gurusinha as manager Cricket for the National Team. It is a highly laudable choice by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in getting the perfect blend at managerial level given Gurusinha’s tremendous services to Sri Lanka cricket.

Neighbours Bangladesh will be led by experienced batsman Mushfiqur Rahim in a composition that sees fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman recalled after a 2-year hiatus. The exchanges, that will also see three ODIs and two T20s, has already assumed fiery proportions with the visiting skipper Rahim having thrown the gauntlet in stating on his arrival that Bangladesh was confident of upsetting Sri Lanka in the absence of regular Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews. Test minnows, who top their 100th Test match against Sri Lanka on March 15, have indeed come a long way chalking up a string of Test wins mainly against Zimbabwe, and also defeating the West Indies, in their thrust to tasting the test series euphoria.

Sri Lanka Test squad:Rangana Herath (Captain), Dimuth Karunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Upul Tharanga, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Asela Gunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Pradeep, Vikum Sanjaya Bandara, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Malinda Pushpakumara.

Bangladesh Test squad Mushfiqur Rahim (c), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Sabbir Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman, Taijul Islam, Mehedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mosaddek Hossain, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Subashis Roy, Rubel Hossain.

Tour Manager – Ranjith Fernando, Heapd coach – Graham Ford, Physiotherapist – Ajantha Wattegama, Trainer – Nicholas Lee, Masseur – Lal Thamel, Performance analyst- Sriram Somayajula, Liaison officers – Chandra Rodrigo (Sri Lankan Team), Wasantha Ariyawickrama (B

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The match was played over two days with the reserve day being used after rain had curtailed the West Indies ‘A’ innings on the first day to 69-2 in 12.5 overs on Monday.

In much better weather conditions West Indies ‘A’ continuing their innings racked up an impressive total of 267-6 in 50 overs with half-centuries from Kyle Hope (81 off 112 balls, 8 fours), skipper Jason Mohamed (58 off 71 balls, 5 fours) and Rovman Powell (55 off 35 balls, 3 sixes, 3 fours). Sri Lanka ‘A’ got off to a bad start losing opener Sandun Weerakkody to the second over of the innings. They soon slumped to 26-4 with three wickets falling at the same score. They never recovered from that disastrous start and were bundled out for 102 off 32.3 overs.

The damage to the Sri Lankan innings was done by off-spinner Trinidian off-spinner Jon-Rus Jaggesar who finished with impressive figures of 4 for 29. The second match of the series will take place at the Welegedera Stadium in Kurunegala on October 27.

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.

Karunaratne had a poor home series against Australia averaging just 6.83 in the three Tests where his highest score was 22 and needed a big innings behind him to boost his confidence ahead of the Zimbabwe tour.

Sri Lanka A’s first innings total of 348 for eight wickets at the end of the day was largely built around Karunaratne’s assured knock of 131 off 242 balls comprising 15 fours. It gave them a handy first innings lead of 72 going into the third day today. West Indies A was dismissed for 276 on the first day.

The base for Sri Lanka A’s sound total was laid by Karunaratne and his opening partner Kusal Perera who made a swashbuckling 87 off 105 balls (7 fours, 3 sixes) out of a stand of 167 off 219 balls.

Antigua’s stockily built off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall broke the partnership by getting through the defences of Perera and looked the most penetrative of the West Indies A bowlers ending the day with impressive figures of six for 87.

Wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella was the other Sri Lanka A player to impress hitting an aggressive half century – 59 off 70 balls with 10 fours.

The disappointments for Sri Lanka A were the cheap dismissals of Lahiru Thirimanne for two and Roshen Silva for 17 – both falling victims to Cornwall’s spin.

West Indies A lost the services of fast bowler Reynard Leveridge in the ninth over when he was forced to retire and Cornwall completed the over.

The match was unique in the annals of Sri Lanka cricket because a pink ball instead of the customary red was used for the first time in a match.

The pink ball is being trialed by virtually every Test playing country as the ICC at some point of time wants Test cricket to be played under lights.

The first over bowled with the pink ball by Sri Lanka under 19 fast bowler Asitha Fernando saw seven runs being scored by West Indies A openers Rajendra Chandrika and Keiran Powell.

However the opening partnership didn’t last long when off the second over Lahiru Kumara trapped Chandrika lbw for five.

West Indies A lost two further wickets to be 56-3 before skipper Sharmarh Brooks and Vishaul Singh staged a recovery with a partnership of 125.

But once Brooks was dismissed for a well compiled 65 off 107 balls (9 fours) West Indies A suffered another batting collapse losing three wickets for four runs to slump to 185-6. However with Singh putting up staunch resistance at one end, he found an able partner in Kemar Roach and the two raised the total by 66 before Sri Lanka A once again broke through to bowl them out.

Singh was unlucky to miss out on his hundred by four runs when he was caught by Sri Lanka Test player Lahiru Thirimanne who snapped up four catches. Singh hit nine fours in his 187 ball innings.

Roach was left stranded on 45 not out when the Lanka A bowler cleaned up the tail in quick succession. Gunaratne who broke the Brooks-Singh stand had the best figures among the bowlers with three for 27 off 16 overs.

Sri Lanka A faced one over without scoring a run. The match continues today.

Taking the first lease of the wicket New Zealanders scored 270 for the loss of nine wickets in 50 overs with Mitchell Santner scoring a century. Neil Wagner remained unbeaten on 45. Nisal Gamage bagged four wickets for the visitors.

In reply, Sri Lanka achieved their target in 45.3 overs scoring 271 for the loss of three wickets. Dhanushka Gunatilleke cracked his century in 120 deliveries which was studded with 11 hits to the ropes and four over it.

Sri Lankan innings were further boosted by Dhananjaya Silva (86) and Kithruwan Vithanage(54). Dhananjaya’s knock included 10 boundaries and two sixes while Vithanage’s half ton consisted of eight fours and two sixes.

New Zealand Winter Training Squad : 270/9 in 50 overs (Mitchell Santner 110, Neil Wagner 45 n.o, Nisal Gamage 4/59, Lahiru Madushanka 2/42, Dhananjaya de Silva 2/22)

Sri Lanka ‘A’ : 271/3 in 45.3 overs (Dhanushka Gunatilleke 106, Dhananjaya de Silva 86, Kithruwan Vithanage 54) TJ.

According to coach Romesh Kaluwitharana three bowlers Lahiru Gamage, Lahiru Madusanka and tharindu Kaushal will be rested in this final game while Nisal Tharaka Binura Fernando and Lakshan Sandakan will  walk into the team.

Kaluwitharana said that ”It was Ashan Priyanjana Kusal Perera who did the batting for the most part in the last two matches.we should take a look at the way others will handle the situation they got and I’m happy with everyone doing their role well”

Binura Fernando who is a 6ft 6 inches tall fast bowler from DS Senanayake College is expected come good in his first opportunity with the ‘A’ team The 19-years old was included in the Sri lanka test squad last year,even though he didn’t get a game and hadn’t played first class cricket back then.Fernando claimed 28 wickets in the seven first class matches he played in his first season,with a best performance of 9-70 inning.