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AGELESS LEADER . . . Sri Lanka stand-in skipper Rangana Herath addresses the media ahead of his team’s tour of Zimbabwe which starts with a Test match at Harare Sports Club on Saturday. — srilankacricket

Mehluli Sibanda: Senior Sports Reporter

THE Sri Lanka national cricket team arrived in the country yesterday for their tour of Zimbabwe which is made up of two Tests as well as a triangular One Day International series which will involve the West Indies. Sri Lanka touched down at Harare International Airport yesterday afternoon.They were welcomed by Zimbabwe Cricket officials, head of human resources and corporate affairs Nesta Vaki, national teams and cricket affairs manager Christian Chiketa as well as public relations and media manager Darlington Majonga.

Left arm spinner Rangana Herath will lead the Sri Lankans in the two Tests, the first of which gets underway at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.

The 38-year-old Herath is standing in for the injured all rounder Angelo Matthews who is ruled by a torn calf.

Regular vice-captain Dinesh Chandimal also missed the trip because of a thumb injury. Herath recently put up a superb show with the red ball in his left hand as Sri Lanka demolished Australia 3-0 in a Test series in July/August in the Asian country.

He took 28 wickets in those three Tests against the Aussies.

Seventeen years after making his Test debut, Herath is set to become the oldest player to lead a team for the first time in the prolonged version of the game at international level during the series against Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwean squad has been trimmed down from 20 to 16 for the two Tests.

Wicket-keeper Richmond Mutumbami, top order batsmen Prince Masvaure, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, off spinner John Nyumbu and left arm pace bowler Brian Vitori have been axed from the 20 member team announced last week.

This was after consultations between the head of the selection panel Tatenda Taibu, head coach Heath Streak, bowling mentor Makhaya Ntini, batting consultant Lance Klusener and skipper Graeme Cremer.

Pace bowler Michael Chinouya, who had been left out of the initial squad because he was undergoing allergy treatment, has been brought back into the squad to bolster the fast bowling attack.

Streak said they would be selecting an ODI training squad soon and if the players dropped from the Test side are not in that team as well, they will be send home.

On his team’s chances of getting a positive result against the Sri Lankans, Streak feels their prospects are bright and went on to predict a 1-0 win triumph for Zimbabwe or a share of the spoils at 1-1.

“With the kind of squad they are bringing there is no reason why we can’t win a Test, we will win one nil or the series will end one all considering that they just beat the Aussies, that would be good.

“We have the home conditions in our favour,’’ said Streak.

Zimbabwe squad

Graeme Cremer (captain), Christopher Mpofu, Sean Williams, Brian Chari, Craig Ervine, Peter Moor(weicketkeeper), Regis Chakabva(wicketkeeper), Tarisai Musakanda, Carl Mumba, Hamilton Masakadza, Malcolm Waller, Taurai Muzarabani, Sikandar Raza, Michael Chinouya, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Donald Tiripano.

Sri Lanka squad: Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Kaushal Silva, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wicketkeeper), Rangana Herath(captain), Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Kasun Madhushanka, Lahiru Kumara, Lahiru Gamage, Suranga Lakmal, Asela Gunaratne