Injured Sri Lanka skipper out of second Test

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s skipper Dinesh Chandimal will miss the second Test against England after injuring himself in the opening match of the series, the cricket board said yesterday.

It is also doubtful he will return for the third and final Test after being ruled out by doctors for two weeks, Sri Lanka Cricket said. Suranga Lakmal will lead Sri Lanka while Charith Asalanka will be inducted into the team as a replacement.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka team manager Charith Senanayake quit for “personal reasons” and was replaced by Jeryl Woutersz, the SLC said. The next Test against England begins Wednesday at Pallekele and the final match will be in Colombo from November 23 to 27. England have taken a 1-0 lead in the series.

Meanwhile, off-spinner Akila Dananjaya was reported over a suspect bowling action during the first Test which England won by 211 runs, the International Cricket Council said yesterday. “Dananjaya’s bowling action will now be scrutinised further under the ICC process relating to suspected illegal bowling actions reported in Tests, ODIs and T20Is,” the governing body of the sport said in a statement.

Dananjaya, 25, took two wickets giving away 184 runs in the match that concluded in four days at Galle on Friday. The match officials’ report, which was handed over to the Sri Lanka team management, cited concerns about the legality of his bowling action, the ICC said.

He is required to undergo testing within two weeks and, during this period, Dananjaya is permitted to continue bowling in international cricket until the results are known, the ICC added.

There was no immediate comment from Sri Lanka Cricket. The second Test starts in Pallekele on Wednesday and the third and final match in the series will begin in Colombo on November 23. — AFP