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Sri Lanka mull separate Test, one-day squads

Sri Lanka's selectors are considering following the new trend in one-day internationals and Test matches by selecting two specialist squads, a senior cricket board official said today.

''We are considering having a very young side for one-day matches and keeping the experienced players for the Test team,'' the official said.

''There will obviously be a few who will be in both teams, but for the one-day matches we want to focus on youth,'' he added.

''We are looking four years down the road (at the next World Cup in South Africa in 2003) and we need to take some hard decisions. Might as well bite the bullet now than later,'' the official said.

He said the squads would be announced after consultations with Australian Dav Whatmore, who was recently taken on again as coach.

Whatmore was widely seen as responsible for moulding the Sri Lankan team which won the World Cup in 1996. He takes over his old job next month.

Sri Lanka are scheduled to play Australia and India in a one-day tournament next month, which will followed by a three-Test series against Australia.

Sports authorities have revamped Sri Lanka's cricket in recent weeks by appointing Sanath Jayasuriya as captain, bringing in a new selection committee and appointing a new coach.

Sacked skipper Arjuna Ranatunga and experienced batsman Aravinda de Silva, who was also replaced by Mahela Jayawardene as vice-captain, have been included in a 30-member pool from which the squads will be selected for the one-day tournament and Test series.

The changes came after Sri Lanka failed to reach the second round of the World Cup tournament in England in May. Sri Lanka have lost 18 of their last 25 one-day matches.

England and World Cup winners Australia already name different squads for one-day internationals and Test matches.

UNI