Paceman Nuwan Pradeep set to miss series with knee injury

Sri Lanka have been dealt an injury blow with the news that seam bowler Nuwan Pradeep is likely to miss the forthcoming Test series against England.

The uncapped 24 year-old took four for 29 in the second innings against England Lions last week and was in line to make the starting XI for Thursday’s first Test in Cardiff.

But following his efforts against the England Lions Pradeep began to feel pain in his knee and that has been confirmed as anterior cruciate ligament damage.  Sri Lanka’s interim coach Stuart Law refused to rule him out but it appears inconceivable he will feature in the series.

“Pradeep has some damage to his anterior cruciate ligament,” said the Australian.  “He is seeing a specialist at the moment, it’s bad news for the young man.

“If things are okay and he doesn’t need an operation we may opt to keep him here but at this stage it looks like he’s flying home.

“He’s one of the cards up our sleeve and he has a bit more pace than the rest of them so it’s a shame if he has to go home but he was dragging his leg around yesterday.”

Given Pradeep’s predicament, the tourists have summoned Farveez Maharoof as cover.

Maharoof, who is already in the country as Lancashire’s overseas player, has linked up with the squad and will train with them at the SWALEC Stadium.

Maharoof, a seam bowler capable of big hitting down the order, was not in the initial 16-man touring party but featured in Sri Lanka’s first warm-up match against Middlesex as other players remained on Indian Premier League duty.

A spokesman for Sri Lanka said: “Maharoof has been called up and is already with us. He will be cover for one or two nagging injuries which we will be assessing.”

Maharoof has not played a Test since 2007 but has taken to English conditions well this term, averaging 65 with the bat and taking eight wickets at just over 30 for Lancashire. (Telegraph)

Sri Lanka rejects Pakistan tour on

Sri Lanka Cricket on Tuesday turned down an invitation by Pakistan to return to the troubled nation, saying security was still a problem two years after its players were attacked there.

“We are not going to send our team to Pakistan,” Sri Lanka Cricket chairman DS de Silva told AFP. “I have asked the secretary to inform the Pakistan Cricket Board today (Tuesday) of the decision.

“We have instead requested Pakistan to host the matches in Colombo or at a neutral venue like Dubai or Abu Dhabi,” he said. The Pakistan Cricket Board announced at the weekend that they had invited Sri Lanka to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and one Twenty20 game in a series proposed for October.

“The circumstances, with regards to security, don’t allow us to play matches there. Even the ICC (International Cricket Council) has not given us security clearance,” de Silva said.

Sri Lanka ex-skipper Mahela Jayawardene told the London-based Guardian newspaper on Tuesday that he still carries scars from the attack in Lahore in which militants shot at the Sri Lankan team bus in March 2009.

Eight people were killed and seven Sri Lankan players were wounded, including their assistant coach.“I still get flashbacks,” he told the Guardian.

“At first, the guys were saying, ‘Why would anyone let off crackers at eight in the morning?’ But then someone shouted: ‘No, they’re shooting at us, get down.’” Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Nishantha Ranatunga had reacted cautiously on Monday to the invitation, saying they were awaiting clearance from Sri Lankan security authorities before responding.

Pakistan have been forced to play “home” series in the United Arab Emirates, England and New Zealand.

On Monday, Afghanistan became the first foreign squad to arrive in Pakistan since the attack on the Sri Lankan players.

The Afghans will take on a second-string Pakistani national team in a three-match series.