Sri Lanka turn to former fitness trainer

Sri Lanka have called in the services of their former fitness guru, Alex Kountouri, to help them recover from a spate of injuries that has hampered their preparations for the forthcoming Test series against West Indies.

Kountouri was the national team's physio for eight years from 1995 before he packed up his bags and left for Australia where he is now the second in line to Australian team physio Errol Alcott.

During Kountouri's tenure Sri Lankan cricketers underwent the least number of injuries in their history, and his time was capped by their World Cup victory in 1996. In recognition of his wonderful contribution to Sri Lanka cricket, the gym at SLC headquarters was named after him.

SLC acting CEO Bandula Warnapura said that Kountouri is expected in Sri Lanka during the week, when he will be analyzing why the national players are suffering from so many injuries.

When Marvan Atapattu, Sri Lanka's captain, was suffering from a nagging back injury he went to Kountouri for treatment in Australia early this month. Warnapura said that Atapattu had responded well to treatment and would be fit for the upcoming Tests against West Indies and the one-day triangular against West Indies and India.

Other than Atapattu, fast bowler Nuwan Zoysa (knee) and batsman Shantha Kalavitigoda (shoulder) have just recovered from injuries. Some of the other national players who are carrying injuries are Farveez Maharoof (knee), Tillakaratne Dilshan (shoulder), Nuwan Kulasekera (back) and Prabath Nissanka (knee).