da roleta： The Colombo District Cricket Association (CDCA) has picked a powerful youngsquad for the Gopalan Trophy Tour against Tamil Nadu next month
Rex Clementine28-Sep-2001The Colombo District Cricket Association (CDCA) has picked a powerful youngsquad for the Gopalan Trophy Tour against Tamil Nadu next month. The 14-mansquad, captained by Thilan Samaraweera, has seven players with fullinternational experience.The squad, scheduled to depart Sri Lanka on October 12 for the 11-day tourto Southern India, will play one four-day game and three one-day matches.The one-day series will be played for Vernon Prince Trophy, named after thecaptain of the Ceylonese side in the first ever Gopalan Trophy. The four-daygame, which will be played in Chittambaram Stadium in Madras, will followthe one-day series.The tournament was revived last year after a lapse of 17 years. Most of thematches, however, were washed out by rain.The CDCA selection committee, headed by A.R.M. Aroos, had picked an initialsquad of 20 members, which was pruned to 14 after discussions with themembers of cricket committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in SriLanka (BCCSL) and the chairman of the selection committee T. B. Kehelgamuwa.CDCA had initially opted to give the captaincy to Hashan Tillakaratne, whohad skippered the side last year, but finally picked Thilan Samaraweera, theexperienced A team leader who scored a Test century on debut against Indiain August.Sri Lanka A team coach, Roshan Mahanama. has been appointed as the coach forthe tour.The squad:Thilan Samaraweera, Upul Chandana, Avishka Gunawardene, Michael Vandort, IanDaniel, Upeka Fernando, Akalanka Ganegama, T.M Dilshan, Gayan Wijekoon,Rangana Herath, Prasanna Jayawardene, Kaushalya Weeraratne and MuthumudaligePushpakumara.Coach: Roshan MahanamaManager: Bandula DisannayakeAsst. Manager: ARM Aroos