Batting all-rounder Milinda Siriwardana has been appointed as the captain of the Sri Lanka Board XI to take on Australia in a three-day tour game which starts tomorrow (18th) at P. Sara Oval Stadium.
Siriwardana have played 5 Tests during the past 12 months while scoring 298 runs at 33.14 and has taken 11 wickets. Experienced Dilhara Fernando has also been named in the playing XI alongside all-rounder Dasun Shanaka who made a sparkling Test debut with the ball in England.
Fernando may well be recalled to the Test squad after assessing his performance in this game as most of the fast-bowlers are currently on the injury list. None of the other players have represented Sri Lanka in Test Cricket.
Army SC batsmen Asela Gunarathne, The highest wicket-taker in the Dhaka Premier League, Chathuranga De Silva and Colts CC batting all-rounder Shehan Jayasuriya have represented Sri Lanka in T20Is and ODIs.
Right arm seamer Nisala Tharaka and left-arm seamer Vimukthi Perera will make up the pace battalion along with Fernando and Shanaka. Tamil Union wicket-keeper batsman Manoj Sarathchandra has been given the wicket-keeping duties.
Two impressive schoolboys from Royal College, Lasith Embuldeniya and Chamika Karunarathne have been named as the stand-by players.
The Squad – Madawa Warnapura, Oshadha Fernando, Manoj Sarathchandra (WK), Asela Gunarathna, Shehan Jayasuriya, Milinda Siriwardana (C), Dasun Shanaka, Chathuranga De Silva, Nisala Tharaka, Vimukthi Perera, Dilhara Fernando.
Stand-By Players – Lasith Embuldeniya, Chamika Karunarathna
 at P. Sara Oval Stadium.){kind=link}