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Chris Woakes’s participation in the remainder of England’s Champions Trophy campaign could be in doubt, after he picked up a side strain during the tournament opener against Bangladesh at The Oval

Andrew Miller at The Oval01-Jun-2017Eoin Morgan, the England captain, admits that his satisfaction at an otherwise emphatic victory over Bangladesh in the opening match of the Champions Trophy has been tempered by a side strain sustained by Chris Woakes, which threatens to rule him out for the rest of the tournament.Woakes had come into the match nursing a tight quad that led to his omission from the final two matches of England’s recent ODI series against South Africa, but he looked in fine fettle as he opened the campaign with a maiden to Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal.However, he bowled just one more over in his spell before leaving the field for treatment. He will undergo a scan on his left side this evening, but Morgan is already braced for bad news from England’s medical team.”He’s obviously been very impressive for us over the last couple of years, and a mainstay, a very reliable guy,” Morgan said. “And it is a worry when he goes off the field and can’t come back on and bowl.”Though it is too early to say how the injury will impact on Woakes’ involvement either in the remainder of this match, or England’s subsequent group games against New Zealand on June 6 and Australia on June 10, side strains are notoriously difficult injuries for fast bowlers to shake off.A typical recovery can take between four and six weeks, especially if the injury involves damage to the intercostal muscles, because even when fully recovered, fast bowlers in particular find it hard to hit the crease with their usual aggression, for fear of suffering a relapse.Were that the case, it would rule Woakes out of the entire tournament, and leave him in some doubt for the start of England’s Test series against South Africa as well, which gets underway at Lord’s on July 6.”Side strains are a big confidence thing, aren’t they?” said Morgan. “Yeah, he would definitely be a loss if he couldn’t play.”Morgan denied, however, that Woakes had suffered for being rushed back into action before he was fully recovered from his quad niggle. “He was chomping at the bit to play,” he said. “If we rushed him, he might have played the last game of the one-day series but we didn’t want to rush him.”Woakes’ injury isn’t the only issue undermining England’s previously settled Champions Trophy squad. Ben Stokes came into the match nursing a knee injury that limited his ability to bowl in the South Africa series – although he showed no signs of discomfort in his seven overs today – while Joe Root also picked up a calf injury in the course of his match-winning 133 not out.”Joe is all right,” Morgan said. “He wasn’t in extreme pain. It was manageable, so given that we have four days between now and the next game, hopefully he’ll rest up well and be fully fit.”The size of England’s victory masked a few concerns beyond the fitness issues. Jason Roy endured another day to forget, making just 1 from 7 balls to extend his fallow run at the top of the order, while Jake Ball, surprisingly included in place of the legspinner Adil Rashid, struggled for consistency as his ten overs were dispatched for 82 runs.However, Morgan reiterated his unequivocal support for Roy, adding that he had been unlucky to fall to an impressive catch at short backward square leg from Mustafizur Rahman.”It was quite smart, bowling a slower bowl from the opening bowler, and brave,” Morgan said. “It was a big gamble. But that sort of stuff can happen. You can get out in that sort of fashion when you’re short on runs. But yeah, certainly we believe in him.”On the subject of Rashid’s omission – which seemed to go against the team ethos of selection continuity – Morgan insisted there were two separate issues to consider.”We felt Bangladesh probably would have preferred to play against a lot more spin, as opposed to four quicks, and obviously Ben [Stokes]. So that contributed to how we wanted to balance the side and how we saw them playing. Their top three batters are lefties, and the possibility of getting Joe [Root] or Mo [Ali] on early was an option.”With the batting, obviously you can’t ask guys to go out and play positive cricket and whack it everywhere – there’s an element, a high-risk element – and then drop them as soon as they are lacking runs. On previous teams, that has happened and we don’t want it to happen.”We want to reinforce confidence so the guys can go out and we can make 300 an easy score to get, by playing real positive cricket. And contributing to that, both as a captain and coach, and selectors, by backing your own players up.”

Chris Liddle’s five wickets turned Gloucestershire’s Royal London Cup tie against Kent on its head as they claimed an unlikely win over Kent by 12 runs in glorious Bristol sunshine

ECB Reporters Network10-May-2017
ScorecardChris Liddle’s five wickets stymied Kent’s run chase•Getty ImagesChris Liddle turned Gloucestershire’s Royal London Cup tie against Kent on its head as they claimed an unlikely win over Kent by 12 runs in glorious Bristol sunshine.Michael Klinger’s 134 looked to have paved the way for a challenging Gloucestershire total after they have been asked to bat first. But a flurry of late wickets saw Matt Coles finish with 4 for 57 and hosts restricted to 275 for 8, no more than a par score in the conditions.It didn’t look like enough as Daniel Bell-Drummond followed up his tons against Somerset and Sussex with 90 off 108 balls. With Sean Dickson and Sam Northeast lending good support, Kent looked to be cruising.But Liddle had other ideas and, from 200 for 2 in the 39th over, he bowled a telling spell from the Ashley Down Road End as the visitors collapsed spectacularly, closing on 264 for 9.The win was Gloucestershire’s second in the competition and kept alive their slim hopes of a top three finish in the South Group, while Kent must accept elimination before the knockout stage, having won only one of their first five games.Gloucestershire head coach Richard Dawson said: “It wasn’t until late in the day that I felt we had a chance of winning. I’ll take the victory even though I’m not quite sure how it happened.”It was a battle and Chris changed the game with one spell. He varied his pace really well was smart in how he bowled his cutters.”We kept going and once we got a sniff we were good enough to capitalise on it. It keeps us in the competition and makes Friday’s home game with Somerset even more appetising.”Klinger could hardly have done more, reaching his 16th List A hundred off 123 balls to help take the home side’s score to 260 for 3 before he was out.The 36-year-old Australian hit three of his sixes into the flats at the Ashley Down Road End of the Brightside Ground, his favourite one-day shot at the venue, and progressed with increasing assurance on an excellent batting pitch.Chris Dent and Ian Cockbain shared useful partnerships, but when Klinger was caught at deep mid-wicket off Joe Denly it signalled a rapid transformation in fortunes.Far from building on their captain’s efforts with some big hitting at the end, Gloucestershire lost five wickets in less than two overs as Coles and James Harris put themselves on hat-tricks.With the sun still shining in a cloudless sky, a target of 276 did not appear looked likely to test Kent’s strong batting line-up.They lost Joe Denly to a careless shot off Liddle with the total on 64, but Bell-Drummond, who survived a couple of early scares, and Dickson then put together a stand of 89 in 17.3 overs.Dickson perished the ball after reaching a 62-ball half-century, picking out George Haskins at deep mid-wicket to give left-arm spinner Tom Smith a wicket. By the time Bell-Drummond was brilliantly caught low down by Klinger at extra-cover off Liddle, Kent had posted 200 and needed a further 76 from 11.4 overs.Northeast was established and playing well. His fourth six, over long-on off Jack Taylor was one of the biggest of the match.Darren Stevens was visibly angry with himself when caught behind off Liddle trying to run the ball down to third-man and at 217 for 4, Kent were suddenly far from comfortable.Soon it was Northeast trudging back to the pavilion having smashed Liddle straight to long-on where Jack Taylor took the catch. From looking in total command, the visitors were suddenly under pressure at 220 for 5.More poor shots accounted for Matt Coles and Alex Blake and Gloucestershire sensed their chance. The Kent tail-enders flailed wildly without success and the game headed for an unlikely outcome.

Journalist Andrew Musgrove has urged Newcastle United to keep Jamaal Lascelles at the club ahead of next season.

Is Jamaal Lascelles going to leave Newcastle?

The club captain has been at Newcastle since 2014, when he joined from boyhood club Nottingham Forest alongside Karl Darlow in a double-swoop for the Magpies which cost them £7m.

Since then, Lascelles has made 225 appearances for the team, captaining them in the 2016/17 campaign as they won the Championship title and subsequent return to the Premier League.

Following the arrival of Eddie Howe in 2021, however, the Englishman has found his game time reduced, with the 29-year-old making just 11 appearances for the club last season.

Despite this, it is thought that the central defender remains an important figure on Tyneside and has been a big influence in the Magpies dressing room amid the club's return to the Champions League for the first time in 20 years.

While there will be more matches for Newcastle next season, Football Insider reports that Lascelles will have to leave St James' Park this summer if he wants to get more regular first-team football, with competition for places potentially getting even tougher if reports about the club's interest in Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio come to bear fruit.

Reports from earlier this year stated that a sensational return to Nottingham Forest was potentially on the cards this summer, with Steve Cooper wanting to add more experience to his side. However, that interest hasn't ended up resulting in a bid just yet.

Lascelles' contract runs until the summer of 2024 and it seems unlikely that the Magpies will be offering the defender a new deal, so this summer would be the final chance for the side to cash in on the player who is closing in on 10 years on Tyneside.

But speaking on the Everything is Black & White YouTube channel, Musgrove stated that he disagrees with the result of a fan poll which stated that over 20,000 fans believed the club should sell Lascelles, citing the 29-year-old's experience and influence, as well as the quality he still has as reasons to keep him around.

Musgrove said: "He hasn't kicked off at losing his place – he's taken it in his stride and he's put his focus and attention elsewhere and become a real benefit to Newcastle United off the pitch.

"A lot of you guys will remember him picking up two bookings as a substitute, and that's the kind of thing that really reaffirms just how important he is off the pitch; he's always fighting for the club, even if he isn't kicking a ball for 90 minutes.

"And he's got the right attitude, because let's be honest, a lot of club captains who are suddenly out of the side would've kicked off, they would not have been happy. And I'm sure he's not happy at not playing, but he understands the bigger picture and he really has handled essentially being benched really, really well.

"And when he did come in against Manchester City, against Liverpool, I thought he did very well – and I think he can still play a big part in Newcastle's future going ahead, especially next season."

What should Lascelles do next season?

Lascelles has a big decision to make this summer about his career.

He is 29 years old now and should be in the prime of his career. Does he want to spend it playing regular Premier League football at his boyhood club, or does he want to captain the side he has been with for the past nine seasons into their first Champions League campaign in over two decades?

The big thing that might sway the decision is the fact that he only has a year remaining on his deal, so he could move on in the summer of 2024 and clubs wouldn't have to pay a fee. However, should he only play limited minutes next season, the question will have to be asked about whether teams should take the gamble on him.

It is a massive call for the defender to make, but he has two very appealing options, whatever he decides.

Liverpool are one of the clubs monitoring Birmingham City prospect Trevan Sanusi, who is poised to leave this summer, according to a recent report from The Daily Mail.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

Jurgen Klopp is clearly looking to build for the future, given some of the players that have been linked with a switch to Anfield, with 19-year-old Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia now considered a priority target, following recent talks.

With the manager also keen on signing a new centre-back, 21-year-old Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio has emerged as a target, and the Reds would have no issues paying his €45 (£39m) release clause this summer.

Young Torino defender Perr Schuurs is also admired by Klopp, with Liverpool set to return for a new offer soon, having had their opening bid of €30m (£26m) turned down, and they could be set to match the Italian club's €40m (£34m) asking price.

Two Liverpool players feature in the top 25 of the Golden Boy Index, which ranks European football's most promising young talents, with Harvey Elliott sitting in 14th and Stefan Bajcetic ranking 21st, and the Merseyside outfit are now keen to bring in another exciting prospect.

That is according to a report from The Daily Mail, which details that the Reds are keeping tabs on Birmingham's Sanusi, who is poised to leave St. Andrew's this summer, amid growing interest in his signature.

Scouts have made regular checks on the 16-year-old's progress, and Liverpool are now keen on snapping him up, but they face fierce competition from a number of the Premier League's top clubs.

Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are all keeping tabs on the youngster, who has already occasionally been training with the Birmingham first team, however he has not signed his scholarship contract.

The Magpies and the Reds have of course been linked with similar targets already this summer, with reports claiming the former liked what they saw of Dominik Szoboszlai while the latter fancied a move for Sandro Tonali, and it seems they could be about to go head to head with Manchester's finest along with Spurs.

The left-winger has already featured in Birmingham's match-day squad, being called up for their away trip to Blackpool last season, but he is yet to make an appearance for the first team.

Who is Trevan Sanusi?

The Birmingham starlet has managed to force his way into the U21s team, scoring the second goal in a 3-0 victory against Crewe Alexandra back in March, while he also netted a stoppage-time winner against Everton in December.

Birmingham boss John Eustace has hailed the forward as a "really exciting young attacking player", and he clearly has a lot of faith in him, given that he has already called him up to the first-team squad for a Championship match.

Considering the young prospect only turned 16 in April, he is likely to be some way off breaking into the Liverpool squad, however he is showing all the signs that he could go on to be a top player, if he continues his current trajectory.

Sanusi is rising through the ranks with England, making nine appearances for the Under 16s in international friendlies, weighing in with one goal and one assist, and it is exciting news that Liverpool are in the mix to secure his signature.

After scoring his maiden T20 century to help Delhi Daredevils record their biggest win in the IPL, Sanju Samson was very pleased he was able to do “something special”

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Apr-2017Sanju Samson came into Indian cricket with the reputation that he could become the next big thing. He was 16 when he made his T20 debut for Kerala, and in little over a year, was part of an IPL franchise. The teenager’s temperament stood out, to the point that he made a half-century batting at No. 3 in only his second game for Rajasthan Royals. Eventually though, the surprise factor faded, and the pressure got to him. Two middling IPL seasons followed in 2015 and 2016 but, on Tuesday, he took a step towards putting those memories behind him with a maiden T20 hundred that set up Delhi Daredevils’ biggest ever win.”I am very happy about this day. It’s one of the special days of my life,” Samson said at the post-match press conference. “Every cricketer here in India, his dream is to play for Indian team, which is the world’s best cricket team. So if you want to get into it, you have to be something special, you have to do something special. So I’m happy that I played one innings but there’s a long way to go.”He was bought by the Daredevils in 2016, and despite playing all 14 matches that year, he was dismissed for less than 20 seven times and finished with an unimpressive strike-rate of 112. Now, after his team had begun the new season by losing a game they should have won, Samson walked out to bat in the second over and was 35 off 19 balls with six fours by the end of the Powerplay. Then after seeing off the Rising Pune Supergiant spinners, Imran Tahir, the No. 1-ranked bowler in limited-overs cricket, among them, he made 41 off 16 balls to help push the total to 205. There were times in the past when quality bowling would force Samson into choosing the wrong shot, but he was able to keep that weakness in check and later praised the Daredevils support staff for backing him.”I think Rahul Dravid, Zubin Bharucha, Paddy Upton and each member of the team who has supported me throughout,” Samson told . “Last IPL season was not a great season for me, but they supported me throughout and I dedicate this knock to them.”I was 17 when I was with the Rajasthan Royals and since then I have been working with Dravid and feel very blessed to be learning under his guidance. Not too many people get this chance and I feel I am extremely lucky to have him around and guide me.”This success came on the back of a disappointing first-class season for Samson. Besides the lack of runs – he averaged 30.36 from 11 innings for Kerala – he was pulled up for disciplinary issues by the state association. It was alleged that he had left the team in the middle of a match, after being dismissed for a duck, and did not return until 8 or 9 pm. This led to an in-house inquiry and a KCA panel let Samson off with a warning. On Tuesday night, he said lows like that helped shape the person he was.”You need to have bad times to learn what life is about, I think. If you keep on achieving success, I think, you do not learn. If you do mistakes in cricket, or if you do mistakes in life, you learn from it and you become a better person. I think my past has helped me become a better cricketer and a better human being.”

Chelsea are now looking to up their pursuit of the Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo this week, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Will Brighton sell Caicedo this summer?

The west London side could see some major changes at Stamford Bridge over the course of the summer with the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino in recent weeks.

And one change could come in midfield with the potential departure of Mason Mount to Manchester United.

It is believed the Blues are looking to bring in a fee in the region of £65m for their homegrown 24-year-old this summer.

Amid reports of Mount's potential exit, it is believed they are keen to add to their midfield this summer with Caicedo a player who has been heavily linked.

The Brighton midfielder has been linked with a potential move away from the south coast for a number of months now with Arsenal also credited with an interest.

Despite putting pen to paper on a new deal after the January interest, it is believed Caicedo has been promised by Roberto De Zerbi and the Seagulls that he can leave this summer.

And speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano has claimed the Blues are now set to up their negotiations with Brighton to secure the services of the 21-year-old:

"Exclusive information. Chelsea are now starting the negotiations for Moises Caicedo. It will happen this week, let's see if today [Wednesday]/tomorrow but it's direct negotiation now Chelsea Brighton for Moises Caicedo. Direct club-to-club negotiation. So we wait for the bid, we wait for a direct conversation. We know that personal terms are not an issue."

How much is Moises Caicedo worth?

The Londoners could be set to receive a healthy sum of money over the coming weeks with the potential sale of Mount.

And it is worth considering the fact the Seagulls will be well aware of the financial power behind a club like Chelsea.

Todd Bohely and co spent massively over the course of last season and have already made a number of sales this summer to bring in some money and relieve their wage bill.

It is believed Brighton have set a £90m valuation on their Ecuadorean this summer if they are to allow him to leave.

And they certainly sit in the driving seat in any negotiations this summer with the player now having signed a new deal to take his stay up until 2027.

However, the midfielder is seemingly keen to move on to bigger things with him previously showing a desire to leave in the January transfer window.

Although Brighton are believed to be open to allowing him leave over the coming weeks, it is apparent they will not be willing to allow Chelsea to get a bargain for the midfielder.

Afghanistan went 2-0 up in the five-match ODI series against Zimbabwe after their bowlers ran through the hosts’ batting to complete a 54-run win

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball updatesFile photo – Rashid Khan took three crucial wickets for Afghanistan in his 7.1 overs and conceded less than 3.5 runs per over•Peter Della Penna/ESPNcricinfo LtdAfghanistan went 2-0 up against Zimbabwe in the five-match ODI series after their spinners Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi took three wickets each to skittle the hosts for 184 in a chase of 239 in Harare.Zimbabwe suffered a dramatic collapse in their chase after a strong start from opener Solomon Mire – whose 54 was his highest ODI score – and Craig Ervine (34). Mire hit seven fours and a six and was involved in a 69-run stand for the first wicket with Peter Moor while Ervine and Ryal Burl (27) added 55 runs for the fourth wicket. When Ervine fell Zimbabwe were 139 for 4. They were bowled out 45 runs later as Nabi, Rashid and left-arm spinner Amir Hamza (2 for 40) ran through the hosts’ middle and lower order.Afghanistan chose to bat after winning the toss and reached 238 for 9 despite a late batting collapse. After Mohammad Shahzad (64), who struck his eighth ODI fifty, Rahmat Shah (53) and Nabi (33) set up a base for the visitors, late wickets from Tendai Chatara hurt Afghanistan; they lost their last four wickets for 26 runs. Najibullah Zadran held up one end to score 45 off 47 deliveries before he was the ninth man out, during the last over of Afghanistan’s innings.The third ODI, a must-win affair for Zimbabwe, will be on February 21 in Harare.

Arsenal are advancing in a deal to sign Jurrien Timber from Ajax, and the defender is ready to shun other interest in favour of a move to the Emirates, Fabrizio Romano has claimed.

What's the latest on Arsenal's move for Timber?

Arsenal have already had a bid rejected for the 22-year-old, but a deal now seems to be edging closer as the Gunners are set to agree personal terms and return with an increased offer.

The defender may be seen as ideal cover for William Saliba and Ben White as both a centre-back and a full-back, and the Dutch international could be one of many significant arrivals in north London this summer.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that Timber is ready to ignore interest from other clubs including Bayern Munich in order to complete his move to Mikel Arteta's side.

"Arsenal will bid again for Jurrien Timber. They want him, they feel that the player wants to accept the proposal and he's really attracted by Arsenal as a possibility," he stated.

"It's a work in progress for Timber to Arsenal because they will be in the game. The player wants the move more than other clubs interested, including Bayern, so let's follow this one over the next few days."

What will Timber bring to Arsenal?

The defender has been described as a "great player" by national teammate Virgil van Dijk, and he could prove to be an outstanding addition to Arsenal's squad as they return to the Champions League for the first time in over six years.

Arsenal saw their title challenge fall apart following injuries to Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Timber could provide necessary depth in both their positions.

Timber astonishingly ranks in the top 1% of centre-backs in the next eight leagues for passing and ball-carrying as per FBref, and his elite ability on the ball makes him ideal for Arteta's system.

Only Manchester City averaged more possession than Arsenal last season, and given that the Gunners play out the back with the likes of Oleksander Zinchenko and Saliba, Timber could slot into the side with ease.

Arsenal's drop-off in form following the injury to Saliba was no coincidence, as backup Rob Holding showed that he was incapable of replicating his crucial work on the ball, and Timber would go some way to improving the depth in this position, should a deal be completed.

Bangladesh opening batsman Imrul Kayes has been ruled out of contention for the one-off Test against India, which starts on Thursday in Hyderabad

Mohammad Isam in Hyderabad06-Feb-2017Bangladesh opening batsman Imrul Kayes has been ruled out of contention for the one-off Test against India, which starts on Thursday in Hyderabad. Imrul injured his left thigh while fielding on day two of the Bangladeshis’ tour match against India A at the Gymkhana ground.According to BCB media manager Rabeed Imam, it is a recurrence of the same injury that ruled Imrul out of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch last month.In Imrul’s absence, Soumya Sarkar – who replaced him in Christchurch, opened for the first time in Tests, and scored 86 and 36 – is likely to open alongside Tamim Iqbal in Hyderabad. Bangladesh have not called up an opener as Imrul’s replacement, instead flying in the middle-order batsman Mosaddek Hossain, who played the ODIs and T20s in New Zealand but was overlooked for the Tests.Imrul’s injury comes as a significant blow to Bangladesh ahead of their first-ever Test on Indian soil. While Imrul’s Test record is modest – 1432 runs at 28.64 – he and Tamim have forged what is by far Bangladesh’s most successful opening partnership. Together, they have scored 2205 runs, and average an impressive 47.93as a pair with four century stands.Bangladesh squad: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), Tamim Iqbal, Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehedi Hasan, Taijul Islam, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed, Subashis Roy, Liton Das (wk), Mominul Haque, Shafiul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain.

Seekkuge Prasanna has been picked in place of Jeffrey Vandersay, while fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera has also been omitted

Andrew Fidel Fernando11-Jan-20170:46

Who is Thikshila de Silva?

Uncapped batting allrounder Thikshila de Silva has been named in Sri Lanka’s squad for the T20 series against South Africa, which starts from January 20. Thikshila is yet to play international cricket in any format; the other new member of the T20 squad is the left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan, who has played three Tests and an ODI.Legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who impressed in the World T20 last year, has been left out in favour of Seekkuge Prasanna, who also offers hitting power. Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera has been omitted as well, while seamers Isuru Udana and Nuwan Kulasekara have earned recalls. The other major omissions are wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Perera, and allrounders Thisara Perera (who is currently playing in the Big Bash League) and Dasun Shanaka.Sri Lanka’s T20 squad

Angelo Mathews (capt), Dinesh Chandimal, Danushka Gunathilaka, Seekkuge Prasanna, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Isuru Udana, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Asela Gunaratne, Sachith Pathirana, Lakshan Sandakan, Thikshila de Silva, Nuwan Kulasekara

Thikshila, 23, has largely been picked on potential and on his reputation as a clean striker of the ball for Chilaw Marians. In 15 domestic T20 innings so far, he has hit 15 sixes and as many fours, collecting his 218 runs at a strike rate of 144. A left-handed batsman, Thikshila also bowls right-arm seam, and has six T20 wickets and an economy rate of 8.38. Though there has been no domestic T20 cricket in Sri Lanka since last February, he hit a run-a-ball 92 against SSC in the most recent round of the Premier League Tournament, which began on January 6.Though largely considered a long-format bowler, it is perhaps Sandakan’s ability to turn the ball away from the left-handed batsmen that has earned him his selection, with Prasanna already in the squad, along with left-arm spinning allrounder Sachith Pathirana. Sandakan made a promising start to his Test career last year, but only has 16 domestic T20 wickets and an economy rate of 8.74 across 15 appearances.Lakshan Sandakan made a promising start to his Test career last year but has only 16 wickets in 15 domestic T20 games•Associated PressKulasekara’s return to the T20 squad was expected, after he had appeared to reclaim some of his old rhythm and inswing in the recent ODI tri-series against Zimbabwe. He had had a long, ineffective run in 2015, and had been dropped from both limited-overs sides. Udana – a T20 specialist with a number of slower balls – Suranga Lakmal, and Nuwan Pradeep make up the remaining frontline seam options.Save for Kusal Perera’s omission, there were no major surprises on the batting front. Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Asela Gunaratne and Niroshan Dickwella are be among those who will be considered for top-order spots, with captain Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal likely to feature in the XI.Kusal Perera’s omission appears to be largely due to lack of form. In four ODI innings during the Zimbabwe tri-series, he had scores of 21, 4, 7 and 14. He also collected single-figure scores in the first Test against South Africa, and was subsequently dropped from the Test XI.A bout of dengue before Christmas slowed Lasith Malinga’s efforts to regain match fitness, leaving him unavailable for the T20Is and ODIs in South Africa. He will now only attempt to return in time for the three-match T20 series against Australia, scheduled to begin on February 17The first of the three T20s against South Africa is set to be played on January 20 in Centurion.