Injured Sreesanth likely to return home

Sreesanth ruled out of India-Sri Lanka series due to knee injury

Injured speedster S Sreesanth is likely to return home with a knee injury that has virtually ruled him out of India's Test series against Sri Lanka starting on July 18 at Galle.

The BCCI nor the team management have yet made an official announcement about Sreesanth's injury.

Vidarbha pacer Umesh Yadav, who along with Jaydev Unadkat, is here as a net bowler is likely to be asked to stay back, team sources said.

Sreesanth's knee problem resurfaced over the weekend, and he missed Sunday's practice session.

India are unlikely to go into the series with three pacers. Karnataka's Abhimanyu Mithun is likely to play now that Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth are not available.

The loss of the seam duo will stretch India's fast bowling reserves even further because that's the one department in which they have been found wanting in recent months.

Harbhajan, meanwhile, continued to rest in his room for the second successive day. It was confirmed that the off-spinner was “down with viral fever”. Even if he recovers in time for the warm-up game, he’s likely to take it easy and skip the three-day affair to be 100 per cent fit before the first Test.

India are scheduled to play a three-day warm up game against Sri Lanka Board President's XI from Tuesday. The first Test will be played at Galle from July 18to 22. The second Test will be played at Colombo from July 26 to 30 and the third and final test will also be played in Colombo from August 3 to 7.

SA goes down in The Champions Trophy opener!

Dilshan Does It Again For The Lankans!

Sri Lanka opened their Champions Trophy campaign with a victory over South Africa in a rain-affected match in Centurion.

Chasing 320 in 50 overs, the hosts were reeling at 206 for seven in 37.4 overs when heavens opened up and play was stopped. After sometime, seeing no sign of it relenting, play was finally called off last night.

Skipper Smith won the toss and elected to bowl first, which seemed to be the correct decision as Sanath Jayasuriya was an early Steyn victim.

However, fellow opener Tillerkaratne Dilshan and captain Kumar Sangakarra put Sri Lanka in a strong position with a 168-run partnership. This was followed by another big partnership as Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera added another 116 runs to the score.

Sri Lanka finished on 319-8 after their allotted 50 overs and set a massive target for the home side.

Chasing 320 to win, skipper Graeme Smith hit a defiant 58 en route to his 81-run second wicket stand with Jacques Kallis (41) to raise hope of a successful run chase but Mendis spoiled South Africa's chase with his fiery spell.

Rain also added to South Africa's woes when play was called off because of torrential rains.

"I have been in good form for the past 12 months and believe moving from the middle order to the top has helped me a lot," revealed Dilshan after receiving the man-of-the-match award.

"As an opener I feel I have more chances to build an innings and Kumar (captain Sangakkara) and I have developed a wonderful partnership in which we know how to assist each other."

It was the third ODI century by the 2009 ICC Cricketer of the Year and Test Player of the Year nominee and his career-best 137 came this year against Pakistan in Karachi.

South Africa next face New Zealand at Centurion on Thursday, with Sri Lanka up against England in Johannesburg.

Score:

South Africa 206 for seven in 37.4 overs (G Smith 58, Kallis 41; Mendis 3/30, L Malinga 2/43)

Sri Lanka 319 for eight in 50 overs. (T Dilshan 106, M Jayawardene 77; W Parnell 3/79, D Steyn 3/47).