Uncapped opener Udara Jayasundera was selected in Sri Lanka’s Test squad for the tour of New Zealand.

AFP/Colombo


Sri Lanka yesterday dropped top order batsman Lahiru Thirimanne from the Test squad for the upcoming New Zealand tour, but retained him as vice captain for the five ODI matches.
Uncapped batsman Udara Jayasundera was brought into the 15-member Test squad for the New Zealand tour starting early December. Thirimanne was also dropped from the second Test against West Indies in Colombo last month.  
Sri Lanka will play two Tests, five ODI games and two T20 matches in New Zealand from December 10 to January 10.  Sri Lanka Cricket named a 16-member squad for ODI matches and 15 players for the T20 squad.  
Sri Lanka Test squad: Angelo Mathews (captain), Kusal Mendis, Udara Jayasundera, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Janith Perera, Milinda Siriwardana, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Jeffrey Vandersay.
ODI squad: Angelo Mathews (captain), Lahiru Thirimanne (vice-captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Janith Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Milinda Siriwardana, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sachithra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Dhammika Prasad, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera, Chamara Kapugedera, Jeffrey Vandersay.
T20 squad: Lasith Malinga (captain), Kusal Janith Perera, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Milinda Siriwardana, Chamara Kapugedera, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dushmantha Chameera, Thisara Perera, Jeffrey Vandersay, Sachithra Senanayake, Isuru Udana.

Galle curator suspended for missing anti-graft meetings
Galle chief curator Jayananda Warnaweera has been handed a two-year suspension from all cricket activities by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) after the former Test player missed two meetings with anti-corruption officials.  The 54-year-old former off-spinner skipped interviews with the anti-corruption unit of the International Cricket Council (ICC) last month and failed to assist an ongoing probe, the details of which have not been disclosed.
“...the Interim Committee of SLC has, acting in terms of the Constitution of SLC, suspended Mr Warnaweera from cricket, cricket management and representation for a period of 2 years,” the SLC said in a statement. Warnaweera, who played 10 Tests and six one-day internationals between 1986-93, was himself being probed, according to media reports.

Former Australian captain
Taylor calls for better pitches
Former Australian players Mark Taylor and Ryan Harris have called for more lively wickets in Australia in the wake of another batsman-dominated Test match at the WACA Ground.
Australia declared at 559 for nine in their first innings, with New Zealand then replying with 624 as the match headed towards a draw. Illustrating the increasingly batsman-friendly nature of local wickets in recent times, Australia’s last seven innings on home soil across two seasons have all ended in declarations.
Former Test captain Taylor said the lifeless wickets were detrimental to Test cricket. “Last summer Australia made 500 every time they batted and India made 400 every time they batted,” he said. “Same this summer, batsmen have dominated. That is not good for Test cricket, it needs exciting games, good battles between bat and ball and results. You don’t need attritional games of cricket that require declarations for results. The balance is too skewed towards the bat in Australia at the moment.”
Taylor said he believed pitches were more evenly balanced during his playing career.
He would like to see groundsman given more licence to produce wickets which offered assistance to bowlers.
Recently retired paceman Ryan Harris added his voice to the chorus of concern. “I think the wickets are ridiculously flat,” Harris told ABC radio. “Particularly when you’re playing a home series. Our pitches are really disappointing at the moment to be honest. It’d be nice to play in conditions that we’re used to a bit more - a bit more pace and bounce.”
Several commentators, including Harris and former Test seamer Terry Alderman, speculated that paceman Mitchell Johnson’s decision to retire after the Test was prompted by another lifeless home wicket.
However, Taylor dismissed that suggestion. “I think the will was gone before that, look at his comments before the match started,” he said. “Though I don’t think the decks here have helped him, which is hard to believe, the Gabba and WACA have been the best decks for his career.”
Australian bowling coach Craig McDermott conceded the pitches for the first two matches did little to assist their pace bowlers, saying they were “not what they should be”.