Sri Lanka wanted to play more than one warm-up match ahead of England Tests, says Dhananjaya de Silva
Sri Lankan Test captain Dhananjaya de Silva has stated that the team was keen on playing more than one warm-up match ahead of the Test series against England. He added that he has no idea why the visitors weren't granted at least one more practice game ahead of the Test series.
Sri Lanka will take on England in a three-match Test series, which starts with the first game at Old Trafford in Manchester on Wednesday, August 21. The Lankans featured in a warm-up match against the England Lions at New Road in Worcester from August 14 to August 17. They ended up losing the game by seven wickets.
Speaking ahead of the Test series, Dhananjaya said that considering the conditions in England, the visitors were hoping to play at least one more warm-up game. He was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo:
"The conditions are quite different to Asian countries. We wanted to play a few matches, but that's what we get. We didn't go with the full-strength [team]. We have tried out a few players as well. The result didn't go our way, but we had the preparation, I think. It'll work in this match."
On why Sri Lanka's request for an additional practice game ahead of the Test series was not considered, the 32-year-old replied that he had no idea about it. He went on to add:
"Maybe because we are playing a three-match series after a long time; maybe that's the reason."
Even though Sri Lanka lost the practice game to the England Lions, their skipper asserted that the players were in a positive frame of mind mentally.
"Yes, we lost the practice match, but that match is there for our training. Within that, we got the preparation we wanted," Dhananjaya commented.
The visitors are set to hand a Test debut to right-arm pacer Milan Rathnayake in Manchester. The 28-year-old has claimed 81 wickets in 40 first-class matches.
"From the looks of it, it'll be a rain-affected match" - Dhananjaya de Silva
Dhananjaya reckons that the first Test against England at Old Trafford in Manchester will be a rain-affected clash. While expressing confidence over the decision to go in with three seamers, he also backed left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya to do a good job.
"From the looks of it, it'll be a rain-affected match. I thought because of that, it's best to go with three quicks, because we will go in and out of the game," the Sri Lankan captain stated.
After the opening Test in Manchester, England and Sri Lanka will clash in the second Test at Lord's from August 29 to September 2.