Injured Prasad ruled out of first Test

Sri Lankans 367 (Shanaka 112, Mendis 65, Herath 55) and 200 for 4 dec (Karunaratne 100) drew with Leicestershire 375 for 5 dec (Burgess 98, Wells 87*)Scorecard

With the first Test less than a week away, Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford was satisfied with what he saw on the final day of his side’s last warm-up match. Leicestershire, despite making nine changes to their first XI, gave the tourists a good work out in a low-key encounter.

Less pleasing for Sri Lanka was the confirmation that Dhammika Prasad has been ruled out of playing at Headingley. Prasad injured his shoulder while bowling against Essex last week and, although it was described as nothing more than a “niggle” at the time, Ford said it was more serious than initially thought.

“He’s not available for the first Test and it’s an ongoing assessment, on a daily basis,” he said. “I am hoping that we can get him bowling again fairly soon. Then we’ll have to build him up and get quite a number of overs bowled in the nets in order to prepare him for potentially the second and third Test.”

Prasad was at Grace Road and, as the day drew to a close, was given a workout to test his shoulder’s readiness. A specialist came to assess the injury but, in Ford’s words, “he’s still got a bit of an issue”. If he is to make the second or the third Test, a lot of work, both on the shoulder and in the nets, will be required. It is a huge blow for Sri Lanka and perhaps a relief for England, who were put to the sword by Prasad during the 2014 Headingley Test, when he took 5 for 50, which included dismissing the top four in an inspired evening spell on day four.

Ford could however reflect with satisfaction on a fine unbeaten hundred from Dimuth Karunaratne, which showcased his worth at the top of the innings …

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