Srinath returns, out for rest of tour

By Our Special Correspondent

KANDY, AUG. 18. The injury-hit Indian cricket team received yet another setback on Saturday when pace spearhead Javagal Srinath was ruled out of the rest of the Sri Lankan tour with a fracture of the fifth metacarpal in his left hand (bone at the base of the little finger).

Srinath was struck on his left glove by a Dilhara Fernando delivery in the first innings of the Galle Test. The paceman did not bat again in the match but went on to claim five wickets in the Lankan first essay.

Due to excessive swelling, the medical reports at Galle were inconclusive about a broken bone, but another x-ray, taken in Colombo today, confirmed a fracture. Srinath has since left for India.

Skipper Sourav Ganguly told The Hindu in Kandy that it was unfortunate that five key players were missing from the side due to injuries. Besides Srinath, the other four are Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, V.V.S. Laxman and Ashish Nehra.

Pointing to Srinath's injury, he said, ``If you break a finger what can you do? We've been unlucky with the injuries over the past few months.''

Coach John Wright observed, ``it doesn't make life any easier for us. He still managed to bowl in the first innings at Galle and it was a good effort by him on the third day. We know he trained hard in Bangalore. He was disappointed about not doing too well in Zimbabwe and really wanted perform better here. It's more than a hairline fracture and he should be out for four weeks.''

Wright said he was in touch with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Mr. Jayawant Lele regarding a replacement and added the team-management would first like to have look at the Kandy wicket on Sunday. Indications are that the choice could be between pacemen Ajit Agarkar and Debasis Mohanty, both of whom were a part of the Indian team for Coca Cola one-day triangular competition in Lanka, that preceded the Test series.

Indian psysio Andrew Leipus revealed subsequent to the fracture in Mumbai, Srinath wore extra padding on his right glove around the index finger when he went out to bat. ``But this time he got hit on the other one. About the delay in detection, he said, ``sometimes, the break doesn't show up so easily.'' He was, however, confident that Srinath would be ready for the South Africa tour.

Suresh Perera reported for chucking.

In another development, pace bowling all-rounder Suresh Perera has been reported to the ICC for a suspect action by umpire Steve Bucknor, who officiated in the first Test at Galle from August 14 to 17.

Perera will now have to go through the guidelines laid down by the ICC for bowlers whose action has come under a cloud.

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