Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has drawn up plans on the resumption of national team training after the game was shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic in March.
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As the Government of Sri Lanka set to ease down the curfew restrictions in the high-risk areas, such as Colombo, from 11th May, SLC have decided to hold a residential camp for the national team members from 15th May, ThePapare.com learns.
The coaching staff, attached to SLC, have stressed the importance of returning to physical and skill training at the earliest opportunity under strict safety guidelines to curb the spread of the virus.
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However, the players will not be allowed to train at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, which is deemed to be located in a high-risk area. Therefore, the players will be residing in a five-star hotel in Colombo and will be having their skill training sessions at either NCC or SSC, while for their physical training, they will either use the hotel gym or the Sports Ministry gym.
“We are hoping that once the curfew breaks next week and we can bring in our fast bowling group (for training). Those are the guys who are going to need the most (number of time). We will only be allowed to bring in a small number of players, so we will bring the fast bowlers to the ground first, so that whenever we are ready, we know these guys have had enough preparation time.” Mickey Arthur told The Hindu last week.
All the players and coaching staff will go through a mandatory PCR testing before the residential camp begins. At all times, the social distancing guidelines and protocols issued by the Ministry of Health will have to be maintained by all participants in the residential camp.
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The eight attendees for the first training camp would be mainly the fast bowlers, Lahiru Kumara, Suranga Lakmal, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwan Pradeep, Isuru Udana and the all-rounders, Dasun Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga.
The coaching staff will include the head coach Mickey Arthur, batting coach Grant Flower, Rehabilitation and Training Manager Paul Khoury, Trainer Dilshan Fonseka and Physio Ajantha Wattegama. A medical expert from the Institute of Sports Medicine will also remain standby during the course of camp. If things go according to the plan laid out by the experts, another set of players, most likely to be the batting group, will be residing and training in the next cycle.
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With the postponements of two in-bound tours by England and South Africa as well as the impending cancellation or the postponement of the India tour, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) are facing massive financial losses in the future. The International Cricket Council (ICC) or the member boards have not yet announced any details of resuming international cricket around the world.
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