Vandersay makes Test debut for Sri Lanka at 32; Head in Aussie side ahead of Maxwell

by IANS |

Galle, June 29 (IANS) Sri Lanka have handed Test debut to 32-year-old spinner Jeffrey Vandersay in the opening game here from Wednesday after the leg-spinner impressed during the recent ODI series against the tourists.

Vandersay collected five wickets from four matches against Australia and has won an unlikely Test debut at the age of 32 to support the frontline spin duo Lasith Embuldeniya and Ramesh Mendis.

Right-armer Asitha Fernando is the sole specialist pacer selected in Sri Lanka's final XI, with opener Pathum Nissanka winning a recall at the top of the batting order after he missed the recent Test series against Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, the tourists have been boosted by the inclusion of in-form batter Travis Head for the clash.

Head had been in doubt for the opening match of the two-game Test series due to a hamstring injury, but the 28-year-old passed a fitness test on Wednesday morning and has been included in Australia's final XI.

It means there is no recall for all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, after the veteran was called up as cover for Head in case the left-hander failed to prove his fitness for the important World Test Championship clash.

The hosts have won the toss and elected to bat first on Wednesday, with Mitchell Swepson winning the nod as Australia's second spinner and as the main support to veteran slow bowler Nathan Lyon.

Sri Lanka XI: Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella, Ramesh Mendis, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lasith Embuldeniya, Asitha Fernando.

Australia XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Swepson

Latest News
Magisterial probe ordered into Mukhtar Ansari's death Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:52 PM
Delhi HC to examine Google's advertising terms for legal remedies in India Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:49 PM
IPL 2024: 'Focused on the ball, believed in my practice', says Parag on match-winning 84 Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:45 PM
Samsung, employees agree to 5.1 pc pay raise for 2024 Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:43 PM
South Korean Ambassador to Australia resigns amid controversy over his appointment Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:41 PM
Pak Foreign Office endorses Foreign Minister's proposal on resuming trade with India Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:24 PM
Four drones launched by Yemen's Houthis destroyed: US military Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:16 PM
Executive Board of Rajasthan Cricket Association Dissolved; Ad-hoc Committee Established Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:07 PM
Bird flu outbreak reported at Bulgarian farm Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 11:48 AM
Dimitrov ends Alcaraz' chances of 'Sunshine Double' in Miami Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 11:43 AM
World should develop the concept of Green GDP: PM Modi Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 11:42 AM
Deepfakes in a democratic country like India a big concern: PM Modi Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 11:41 AM
FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 11:39 AM
One killed, 27 injured in multiple vehicles collision in Myanmar Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 11:36 AM
Bangladeshi teen in 'mental crisis' shot dead by New York police Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 11:31 AM