Law expects Dilshan back for ODIs

Friday, 24 June 2011 02:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

London (AFP) - Sri Lanka interim coach Stuart Law is optimistic captain Tillakaratne Dilshan will be fit for next week’s first three one-day internationals against England.

Opening batsman Dilshan missed the drawn third Test against England at the Rose Bowl concluded Monday, a result that gave the hosts the series 1-0 after suffering a broken thumb making 193 -- the highest Test score by a Sri Lankan at Lord’s -- in the second match of the campaign.

Dilshan also sat out Sri Lanka’s 57-run against Worcestershire in a one-day warm-up match at New Road on Wednesday.

Former Australia batsman Law reckons Saturday’s lone Twenty20 international against England at Bristol may come too soon for Dilshan but he was upbeat about his skipper being fit in time for the first of a five-match one-day series at The Oval on Tuesday.

“Maybe the Twenty20 international will be too soon,” Law said. “But I would expect him (Dilshan) to feature in the one-day series. He is not 100 percent yet but he is getting there.”

Several Sri Lanka batsman looked in fine form as the tourists piled up 351 for five against Worcestershire with all-rounder Jeevan Mendis (99 not out), Angelo Mathews (81) and veteran Sanath Jayasuriya (78) all passing fifty.

But the bowlers were put on the back foot as Moeen Ali scored a career-best 136 before Worcestershire subsided to 294 all out, with Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis taking three wickets apiece.

“I think we will be better off with the cricket we have played but if we bowl like that against England, we are going to be in a lot of trouble,” Law said of a Sri Lanka side that thrashed England by 10 wickets in a World Cup quarter-final in Colombo in March.

“The batting was up to par and we played as well as we possibly can and a couple of guys got hits who haven’t been here. In the end it’s a win but we have got plenty of areas to improve in.”