Angelo Mathews to lead Sri Lankan under-19 team

Angelo Mathews, an allrounder from St. Joseph's in Colombo, has been retained as captain of the Sri Lankan under-19 team for next month's Afro-Asia under-19 tournament in India. The national selectors named a 14-member team for the tournament, which takes place at Visakhapatnam from November 17-25.

Mathews, an outstanding allrounder, had led the side on their tour to England earlier this year and is tipped to lead Sri Lanka in the forthcoming under-19 World Cup tournament which is scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka in February 2006.

Lalith Kaluperuma, the chairman of selectors, said that the squad of 14 players and six reserves named for the tournament would form the nucleus of Sri Lanka's World Cup squad next year. "We have to submit the names of 30 players by December 5 and prune it down to the final 14 by January 5. It is an ICC requirement," said Kaluperuma. He said that in addition to the 20 already picked for the Indian tournament his committee would include another ten players to make up the initial 30 based on talent and form.

"We have identified certain players as future prospects, but it all depends on their form at the time of selection," said Kaluperuma. "We picked the 14 to India taking into consideration performances based on the five practice matches and performances in the under-17 schools tournament among other things."

Kaluperuma said if the picked 14 players perform to potential his committee would probably think of retaining the same team for another one-day under-19 tournament, which takes place in Bangladesh soon after the Afro-Asia tournament.

"We want to give the players some continuity leading up to the World Cup and depending on how they perform suitable changes will be made," he said. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe are the other countries participating in the nine-day Afro-Asia tournament.

Squad
Angelo Mathews (capt), Ashan Peiris, Chathupama Gunasinghe, Dilan Cooray, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sameera Soysa, Hans Fernando, NLTC Perera, Rajeeva Weerasinghe, Rishan Kavinda, Sachitra Pathirana Sachitra Serasinghe, Shalika Karunanayake

Reserves
Charles Fernando, Chathura Herath, Malinda Pushpakumara, NR Perera, Pramuddha Perera, Umesh Karunaratne