The team heard a loud crackle. Then the scream came from Dilshan at the front of the bus. 'Get down.' Jayawardene was hit first; his sock filled with blood. Outside, twelve gunmen blocked the exit. A revealing excerpt from Nicholas Brookes's An Island's Eleven: A History of Cricket in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka's only tour match before their three-Test series against Australia ended in a draw in Canberra on Saturday when they declared on 396 for six at lunch on day three.
Kumar Sangakkara compiled his eighth double hundred in Tests, and with able support from Prasanna Jayawardene salvaged a draw for Sri Lanka on the final day of the opening Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
Off-spinner Suraj Randiv forced his way back into the Sri Lankan team for the upcoming two-match Test series against England, scheduled to commence from March 26 in the southern port town of Galle.
England's pace bowlers excelled on a rain-disrupted first day to reduce Sri Lanka to 81 for four in the third and final Test on Thursday.
Kumar Sangakkara led Sri Lanka's fightback in the second innings with an unbeaten 161, aided by sloppy Pakistan fielders who dropped a number of catches on day four of the first Test in Abu Dhabi. At stumps on the penultimate day of the Test, Sangakkara and Prasanna Jayawardene (25) were at the crease with Sri Lanka on 298 for five wickets, still trailing Pakistan by 16 runs.
Statistical highlights of the third day's play in the first Test between India and Sri lanka in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka have named three uncapped players in their 15-man squad for the first Test against Pakistan on July 4.
Sri Lankan batsmen Mahela Jayawardene and Prasanna Jayawardene on Thursday broke a 72-year-old world record for the highest sixth-wicket partnership in Tests by putting on a 351-run stand against India on the fourth day of the first cricket Test in Ahmedabad.
India captain Anil Kumble won the toss and elected to bat against Sri Lanka in the second Test in Galle on Thursday. Both the teams have fielded unchanged sides, that played in the first Test in Colombo.
Sri Lanka face a selection dilemma over their wicketkeeper as they gear-up for a tough three-Test series against Pakistan starting in Galle on Saturday. With regular wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene out with a fractured finger, Sangakarra now faces the choice of captaining the side, batting at number three and also keeping wicket, an exhausting prospect in Sri Lanka's hot and humid climate.
Statistical highlights at the end of third day's play in the third and final cricket Test between India and Sri Lanka in Colombia on Sunday.
Images from the fourth day's play in the first Test between India and Sri Lanka in Ahemdabad, on Thursday.
India were firmly on the backfoot with Sri Lanka building a vital 103-runs first innings lead after reaching 352 for seven at lunch on the third day of the deciding third and final cricket Test on Sunday.
Michael Vaughan (28 not out) and Alastair Cook (19 not out) took England to 48 without loss when bad light stopped play after the Sri Lankans had amassed 548 for 9 declared for a first-innings lead of 197, on Day 4 of the second Test.
Bangladesh conceded a huge 488-run first innings deficit on the second day of the first Test.
Sri Lankan declared at 210-9 and then claimed four Queensland wickets in the final session, having the home side 60-4 at the close of the first day of the three-day tour match.
All-rounder Malinga Bandara and Ruchira Perera are due to join up with the one-day squad after completing a Sri Lanka A tour of West Indies on Friday.
Experienced batsman Mahela Jayawardene and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath will return for Sri Lanka's three-Test series against Pakistan in UAE after skipping the ongoing one-day conTests due to personal reasons.
New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum and B J Watling broke the world record for the highest sixth-wicket partnership with a 352-run stand against India in the ongoing second Test in Wellington on Monday.
Openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva struck patient half-centuries to help Sri Lanka secure a comprehensive nine-wicket victory against Pakistan in the second Test and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series on Sunday.
Off-spinner Mark Craig grabbed three wickets after lunch as New Zealand completed a 193-run victory, and 2-0 series sweep, shortly before tea on the final day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at the Basin Reserve on Wednesday.
India Test discard Virender Sehwag has been roped in to captain the Marylebone Cricket Club squad in a four-day Champion County match against Durham, starting March 23, in Abu Dhabi.
Angelo Mathews made amends for missing a century in the first innings with a gritty unbeaten 116 in the second as Sri Lanka racked up a solid lead in the opening Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
Statistical highlights on Day 3 of the third cricket Test between India and Sri Lanka in New Delhi on Monday
Sri Lanka's seamers shared eight wickets to vindicate captain Angelo Mathews's decision to bowl after winning the toss as Bangladesh were shot out for 232 on the opening day of the first Test in Dhaka on Monday. In reply, the tourists were 60 for no loss when stumps were drawn, with Dimuth Karunaratne unbeaten on 28 and Kaushal Silva on 30.
Opening batsman Ahmed Shehzad struck his maiden Test hundred but Pakistan's hopes of a series-equalling victory looked distant on the third day of the third and final Test on Saturday.
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews and debutant Dilruwan Perera narrowly missed centuries but guided Sri Lanka to a solid first innings total on the second day of the third and final Test against Pakistan in Sharjah on Friday.
Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal picked up two wickets in the last session to restrict Sri Lanka to 220 for 5 at stumps on the first day of the third and final Test in Sharjah on Thursday.
Pakistan batsmen Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad scored fluent half centuries as the first Test against Sri Lanka ended in a tame draw on the fifth day in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
Out-of-favour India batsman Virender Sehwag and Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan will lead two MCC sides in a series of matches in the Middle East to help launch the new county season.
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews was vindicated for surprisingly deciding to field after winning the toss when his fast bowlers skittled Pakistan for 165 in the first innings of the second Test in Dubai on Wednesday. Sri Lanka then lost opener Dimuth Karunaratne (32) before reaching 57 for 1 when bad light brought an end to the day's play.
Joe Root hit an unbeaten 102 and Moeen Ali impressed on his debut as England recovered from the loss of three early wickets to reach 344 for five on the first day of the opening Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's on Thursday.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq fell just short of his sixth Test century but his team clung on to their slim hopes of salvaging the second Test against Sri Lanka after a stirring rearguard action in Dubai on Saturday.
Pakistan fast bowlers Junaid Khan and Bilawal Bhatti scythed through Sri Lanka's batting during an exciting afternoon session to restrict their opponents to 204 on the first day of the opening Test in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka ended the third day's play at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on 293 for five, still 10 runs away from making New Zealand bat again after they had been asked to follow on.
Number 11 Nuwan Pradeep survived five dramatic balls from Stuart Broad to help Sri Lanka avoid defeat after James Anderson ripped through the visitors to almost force an England win in the first Test at Lord's in London.
Gary Ballance scored an unbeaten 104 as England fought back in the evening session to finish the fourth day on 267-8 and lead Sri Lanka by 389 runs going into the final day of the first Test at Lord's.
Sri Lanka lost early wickets in their second innings but extended their lead to 220 runs over Pakistan in the third and final Test in Sharjah to boost their chances of a series victory.
Kumar Sangakkara became the fastest player to reach 12,000 Test runs and will look to rebuild Sri Lanka's innings after they were left teetering at 78 for five at the end of the first day of the second Test against New Zealand.
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