Sri Lanka Denied Extra Warm-Up Ahead of England Test Series

Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva has expressed his disappointment at being denied the opportunity to play more than one warm-up match ahead of their Test series against England. The team, which lost by seven wickets in their four-day, first-class match against an inexperienced England Lions side last week, had hoped to gain further valuable experience in English conditions.

Despite suffering a heavy defeat in the warm-up fixture, de Silva maintained that the Sri Lankan team had benefitted from the experience. Eight of the players who will feature in the first Test at Emirates Old Trafford were involved in the warm-up, including seasoned campaigners like Nishan Madushka, Angelo Mathews, and Dhananjaya himself, who all scored half-centuries in the second innings.

The remaining three members of the Test squad, Kamindu Mendis, Vishwa Fernando, and Asitha Fernando, are expected to join the team for the first Test. Furthermore, 28-year-old seamer Milan Rathnayake will make his Test debut after impressing against the Lions, taking a wicket in each innings.

De Silva highlighted the stark differences between English and Asian conditions and emphasised the importance of adequate preparation. "The conditions are quite different to Asian countries," he said. "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."

However, de Silva admitted to being perplexed by the decision to deny Sri Lanka a second warm-up match. He suggested that the tight schedule ahead of their first Test series of more than two matches since 2018 might have influenced the decision. "I have no idea about it," he said. "Maybe because we are playing a three-match series after a long time; maybe that's the reason."

Despite the lack of additional warm-up matches, de Silva remains confident in his team's mental fortitude. "Our mental state is good," he stated. "Yes, we lost the practice match, but that match is there for our training. Within that, we got the preparation we wanted."

Looking ahead to the first Test, de Silva acknowledges the potential influence of weather on the match. He anticipates a rain-affected encounter and believes a three-pronged pace attack will be the most suitable option. He also expressed his hope that Prabath Jayasuriya, whom he considers a "world-class spinner", will have a significant impact on the match, particularly in the latter stages.

Although de Silva made his Test debut during Sri Lanka's last tour of England in 2016, he will rely heavily on the experience of veterans like Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, and Dimuth Karunaratne. "It's been long since we played here the last time," he admitted, "but there are a few experienced players… They are sharing the experience with me."

With the series set to begin at Emirates Old Trafford on Wednesday, all eyes will be on Sri Lanka as they aim to prove that their limited warm-up preparations did not hinder their readiness for the challenging series against England.