Lasith Malinga Test return possible

Sri Lanka's bowling coach on Lasith Malinga
"I will be happy to play him for one Test in
every series, because I am confident he can
win that game for his team."

Champaka Ramanayake, Sri Lanka's fast-bowling coach, has said he believes Lasith Malinga might return to Test cricket if he feels his fitness is back at optimum levels. Malinga quit Tests in 2011 due to a long-standing knee problem, deciding to focus only on the limited-overs formats. If Malinga returns to Tests, Ramanayake said, he, like the rest of the seamers, would have to be managed very carefully. 

Ramanayake, a fast bowler from the Galle district who played 18 Tests and 62 ODIs for Sri Lanka, is credited for discovering Malinga, who hails from the same region. 

"Because of his [Malinga's] knee problem, he realised that he could be out in all forms of the game [so he had to quit one]. But I have the feeling he might come back to Test cricket if he feels he is fit and strong," Ramanayake told ESPNcricinfo in Colombo. "He is working hard on his fitness. I will be happy to play him for one Test in every series, because I am confident he can win that game for his team. 

"He has the hunger, I know he loves Test cricket. Recently I asked him to join us at the dressing room; he loves to pass on advice to the fast bowlers." 

Sri Lanka's fast bowlers have recently suffered several injuries. Chanaka Welegedera, their main seamer in Tests, was ruled out of the three Tests against Pakistan due to a torn shoulder muscle. Suranga Lakmal has a serious ankle injury that could rule him out for at least six months, and Shaminda Eranga has a nerve problem in his back. Ramanayake said these injuries are mainly due to a lack of bowling long spells in domestic cricket. 

"Bowling fitness is very important. We found that one of the reasons why bowlers keep breaking down is that they don't bowl enough at practice or at the domestic level, especially the youngsters," Ramanayake said. "You get these injuries if your body has not adapted to bowling long enough."

Nuwan Kulasekara, he said, is someone who is capable of lasting through a long spell because he doesn't strain himself too much when he delivers. "Some [bowlers] have sound technique. Kula [Kulasekara] for instance is smooth and wristy, and doesn't use much of his body when he bowls. He doesn't have to exert much effort. 

"On a flat pitch, you have to bowl 30-odd overs in an innings and your body is not used to it. We are now making sure they bowl more in domestic cricket, but they also have to be managed carefully. You may spend a lot of time at the gym, but still injuries occur." 

Despite his success as a one-day bowler, Kulasekara has played only 13 Tests over seven years. Kumar Sangakkara said recently that Kulasekara had it in him to be a Test spearhead, and Ramanayake agrees.

"He always had an immaculate line and length. He used to bowl only inswingers, but now he gets it to move away and gives opportunities to the slip fielders," Ramanayake said. "He's a rhythmic bowler and a smart cricketer. He has proven everyone wrong [regarding the] need for raw pace to play Test cricket. His fitness was never an issue. I have always rated him very highly but not everyone did." 

Nuwan Pradeep, who has emerged as one of the fastest bowlers in the country, also has a history of breakdowns in his short career. Ramanayake cited him as an example of someone with natural talent, but lacking in bowling fitness. 

"We discovered him when he was playing softball cricket. He hadn't bowled much with a cricket ball. He always had the natural talent, but he didn't bowl enough when he was younger. We need to be patient with someone like him. He is actually one of the fittest guys in the team, but he needs bowling fitness. This is why domestic cricket is very important for player development." 

A few months ago, Sri Lanka Cricket had advised the clubs in the first-class competition to prepare more seaming pitches. Ramanayake felt that merely preparing helpful tracks may not help their bowling fitness, when confronted with flat tracks in international cricket. 

"If you give them seaming tracks, they may not get to bowl much, if the batsmen are bowled out quickly," he said. "I would say 50-50 pitches would be ideal. Most the tracks in international cricket are flat and they need to learn how to bowl on those. They will also have to learn to bowl on turning pitches, using reverse swing and the cutter."

Dilhara Fernando in squad for SSC Test

Dilhara Fernando has played 39 Tests for SL over 11 years.

Sri Lanka have recalled fast bowler Dilhara Fernando to the squad for the second Test against Pakistan, which begins at the SSC on June 30, as a replacement for the injured Chanaka Welegedara. The selectors were short of options, with several back-up seamers nursing injuries. 

Fernando's last Test appearance was the Boxing Day match against South Africa in Durban in 2011. His inclusion is the only change to the Sri Lanka squad that won the first Test in Galle by 209 runs.

"Fernando has recovered from a shoulder injury and we have included him in the 15, but I am not sure whether he will play," chairman of selectors Ashantha de Mel said. "The team management will take a call on who should support Nuwan Kulasekara. 

"Nuwan Pradeep bowled impressively but he has a history of injuries so I don't know whether he will play back-to-back matches. If Pradeep is rested his place is likely to go to either Thisara Perera or Fernando."

De Mel said the two other bowlers who would have been in contention, Suranga Lakmal and Shaminda Eranga, were both nursing injuries. 

"Lakmal has a serious ankle injury and he is out for at least six months, and Eranga is having a nerve problem in his back," De Mel said. "We have sent Dhammika Prasad to South Africa with the Sri Lanka A team to gain fitness and to bowl many overs in the four-day unofficial Test matches. These bowlers cannot play an entire Test series without breaking down or getting injured."

Indian business houses buyed all seven SLPL franchisees

COLOMBO: Indian business enterprises showed keen interest in the inaugural edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League and bought all the seven contesting franchises on offer, even as the BCCI decided not to allow its players to participate in the Twenty20 league.

The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) had even last year prohibited its players from participating in the league, which forced the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to abort the opening season of the SLPL.

While Wadhawan Holdings shelled out the highest bid -- $5.02 million -- for Wayamba, Number One Sports Consulting offered a bid of $4.98 million for Kandurata.

The Uva and Ruhuna went to Success Sports and Pearl Overseas respectively for an amount of $4.6 million.

Basnahira was bought by Indian Cricket Dundee at $4.33 million, while Uthura at $3.4 million went to Rudra Sports.

Varun Beverages, meanwhile, spent $3.22 million for Nagenahira.

The debut edition of the SLPL is scheduled to commence from August 10, with the final to be held on August 31.

The matches will be played at capital city Colombo and the central province's Pallekele.

The franchises will be allowed a maximum of 18 players, including six foreign cricketers, for registration. However, a team can play only two foreigners in the playing eleven.

The value of each player will be decided by SLC in the player draft to be held on July 5 and 6.

Pakistan, Sri Lanka plead for DRS

Mahela Jayawardene said he wanted ICC to pay for
the technology if individual boards, such as his own,
cannot afford to fund it when they host touring teams

GALLE (Sri Lanka): Rivals Pakistan and Sri Lanka united on Tuesday to demand mandatory video technology after several umpiring howlers in their first Test, placing themselves in opposition to India's powerful board.

The Decision Review System (DRS), which uses ball tracking and thermal imaging to verify umpires' decisions, was recommended for mandatory use by cricket chiefs Monday, subject to member nations financing the technology.

But Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene said he wanted the International Cricket Council (ICC) to pay for the technology if individual boards, such as his own, cannot afford to fund it when they host touring teams.

"The ICC must take it upon themselves to fund the system for the boards which cannot afford to, instead of leaving it to them to decide whether they use it or not," said Jayawardene.

"I have always been a fan of the DRS. It might not be 100 percent technology, but if we can use it to get the maximum number of correct decisions, it will help the umpires as well," he said.

The Galle Test, which Sri Lanka won by 209 runs on Monday, was marred by at least 12 contentious decisions by umpires Steve Davis of Australia and Ian Gould of England, with Pakistan suffering the most.

DRS is not being used in the three-Test series, reportedly due to cost factors.

The ICC's executive board will consider a recommendation by its chief executives' committee to make DRS mandatory at meetings in Kuala Lumpur over the next two days.

The ICC had previously made DRS mandatory for all series, but changed its stance last year following objections from the influential board in India, which accounts for the lion's share of global cricket revenues.

Mohammad Hafeez, captaining Pakistan in Galle in the absence of Misbah ul-Haq, said the uncertainty about the video referral technology should end.

"One thing I want to say is that it is time for the highest authorities to make a decision about the DRS," said Hafeez. "It should be made compulsory for every game.

"I feel as a player, not having the DRS puts a lot of pressure on you and that pressure goes to the umpires. If this technology can improve the game, then why not?

"The authorities should either go for it, or not at all."

Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore had on Sunday slammed the selective implementation of the DRS, which Sri Lanka Cricket used in the previous home series against England but not in the ongoing one.

"It does not seem right to me that you have it for one series and not for another," said Whatmore, a former Sri Lankan World Cup winning coach.

India has been suspicious of DRS since making a number of unsuccessful referrals during the 2008 Test series with Sri Lanka, when the technology was on trial.

India's cricket board said in a statement on Monday that its stance on the system remained "unchanged", arguing that it was "not foolproof".

India cannot veto a decision by the full ICC board to make DRS compulsory. But it does enjoy outsized influence thanks to the money it has generated in the world game, in part owing to the Indian Premier League's runaway success.

SLPL franchises fetch average of $4.3 million

Sri Lanka Cricket has auctioned the seven Sri Lanka Premier League teams for an average price of $4.3 million, an SLC official has said. However, the names of the successful bidders, along with their respective teams, will only be announced once they have been approved by SLC's executive committee.

The prices of the franchises represent a substantial increase over the cost of teams in the Bangladesh Premier League, where six teams were sold for $6.49 million, with none of them going for much more than the base price of $1 million. However, the figures still pale in comparison to the IPL, which had its first eight teams bring in $723 million.

One crucial difference between the SLPL and the IPL is that the teams have only been leased for an initial period of seven years and not sold outright. At the end of the period, the franchisees will need to sign a fresh agreement but will have the first right of refusal. The reserve price for the franchises had been set at $3 million.

In order to determine the teams, the franchises will take part in the player draft, to be held on July 5 and 6. A lottery will be held to determine the order in which players are picked. SLC will determine the value of the contract for each player in advance and the franchises will be made aware of the cost of the player. The players are likely to be drafted in two groups - the first consisting of players from Sri Lanka and the second all the foreign players. The draft is being seen as the best way to ensure that players are evenly distributed among the teams, making it a level playing field.

The SLPL was supposed to kick off last year. However, the Sri Lankan board was forced to postpone the tournament after the BCCI refused to allow its players to participate at the last minute, causing a delay in the naming of the final composition of the teams and affecting overall preparations for the event. In addition, SLC's interim committee that signed the deal was subsequently replaced and there was criticism of some of the clauses in the contract with Somerset Entertainment Ventures by the parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE). A new contract was subsequently signed earlier this year.

The SLPL starts on August 10, with the final to be held on August 31. There will be 24 games in total, split between Colombo and Pallekele.

India's tour of Sri Lanka dates revised

The tour will be India's first tournament after IPL.

India's limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka starting next month has been revised with the first one-dayer now scheduled for July 21, Sri Lanka Cricket said on Tuesday.

The five-match one-day series, followed by a Twenty20 international, was originally due to start on July 22, but was amended to include reserve days in case of weather interruptions.

Revised schedule:
July 21: First one-dayer, Hambantota

July 24: Second one-dayer, Hambantota

July 28: Third one-dayer, Colombo

July 31: Fourth one-dayer, Colombo

Aug 4: Fifth one-dayer, Pallekele

Aug 7: Twenty20 international, Pallekele