Mubarak to lead Sri Lanka A

Jehan Mubarak will lead Sri Lanka A against England later this month in two unofficial four-day Tests. The national selectors, who met on Tuesday, picked a squad of 15 players for the two games, which are to be played at CCC Grounds from March 7-10 and at the NCC grounds from March 13-16.

Mubarak, a 24-year-old left-hander, has been retained after a glowing tour report in England last year when he led Sri Lanka A to victory in eight out of ten matches against the English Counties, who admittedly did not play full-strength teams. They only lost one game to Somerset, the last match, and drew one match with the West Indians.

Mubarak's success in England prompted the selectors to fast-track him back into the national side against Pakistan in October, a controversial move that led to Tillakaratne Dilshan being ousted from the team against the wishes of Marvan Atapattu, the national captain. Under intense pressure, Mubarak was unable to clinch his opportunity but clearly remains in the selectors' thoughts for the future.

Thilana Kandamby, who has been in scintillating form for Central province in the last two weeks, has been appointed Mubarak's deputy for the tour. He has rattled off two centuries and his average before the current tournament final was 98.66. Kandamby also toured England with the A team in 2004, as did a total of 10 players selected in the squad.

The new faces include fast bowlers Nandika Ranjith and Chanaka Welagedera, both of who are left-armers and play for North Central Province. Malinga Bandara , the legspinner, and Sajeewa Weerakoon, an orthodox slow left-armer who was the leading wicket-taker in last year's Premier League with 50 wickets, plus batsman Anushka Polonawita are the others given an opportunity to press for a place in the senior squad.

Selection sources have also revealed that there is a chance that a handful of the squad will also be selected for Sri Lanka's postponed tour of New Zealand which starts at the end of the month. That team is expected to be named next week.

Squad Jehan Mubarak (capt)(CCC), Thilina Kandamby, (Bloomfield), Avaishka Gunawardene (SSC), Ian Daniel (Bloomfield), Shantha Kalavitigoda (Colts), Anushka Polonowita (CCC), Malintha Gajanayake (Chilaw Marians), Gayan Wijekoon (Chilaw Marians), Prasanna Jayawardene (NCC), Thilina Thushara (NCC), Nandika Ranjith (Tamil Union), Chanaka Welagedera (Moors SC), Malinga Bandara (Galle CC), Sajeewa Weerakoon (BRC), Suraj Mohamed (SSC).