MATHEWS, MALINGA NOT FULLY FIT -THILANGA SUMATHIPALA

Sri Lanka suffers major blow

Syou discard Angelo or Malinga?,” Sumathipala quipped. Both players were omitted from Sri Lanka’s last warm-up game against New Zealand on Tuesday, which they lost by six wickets despite batting first and scoring 356 runs. Mathews returned to the team ahead of the Champions Trophy after spending an extended period out of the game due to an injury he sustained a Angelo is not 100 per cent fit. We had a severe problem day before (Sunday). He has an injury, he can’t bowl. Even Malinga can’t bowl more than eight overs ri Lanka Captain Angelo Mathews’ contributions in this month’s ICC Champions Trophy could be restricted as he struggles with an injury, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Thilanga Sumathipala told the Daily Mirror yesterday.

Sumathipala said that both Mathews and fast bowler Lasith Malinga were not fully fit and that the former may not bowl during the tournament, crippling Sri Lanka’s options with the ball.

“Angelo is not 100 per cent fit. We had a severe problem day before (Sunday). He has an injury, he can’t bowl. Even Malinga can’t bowl more than eight overs,” Sumathipala said.

“Can we think of discarding them? After so much of millions of rupees invested into them, years of experience, hours of experience in the middle, can hamstring during Sri Lanka’s tour of South Africa last year. Sumathipala has previously said that he was confident Malinga would be able to deliver for Sri Lanka at the eight-team tournament, despite his recent injuries and that the bowler was slowly building up to bowl his full quota of overs. But with the over restrictions placed on Malinga in the recent practice matches, it is still not known how effective he will be for Sri Lanka at the tournament, and if the gamble will pay off. Sri Lanka Cricket issued a press release late last night stating that Mathews would most likely miss the opening match against South Africa due to a flare up of the injury.