Fernando ready to come back

Dilhara Fernando, Sri Lanka's quickest bowler, is ready to return to international cricket after seven months on the sidelines. Fernando, now 24, has battled his way back to full fitness after a stress fracture - the second of his career - during a quadrangular tournament in Sharjah earlier this year.

Champaka Ramanayake, Sri Lanka's fast-bowling coach, was hopeful that Fernando would return to the Sri Lankan side soon, perhaps even for the first Test against England, which starts on December 2 at Galle. Fernando has been selected in the Sri Lankan Board President's XI, which will take on England in a three-day warm-up match at the Colombo Cricket Club from November 26.

"Dilhara has recovered fully from his spine injury and has been bowling long spells for SSC [Sinhalese Sports Club] in the Premier Trophy competition without any discomfort," said Ramanayake on Monday. "He has been out of international cricket for nearly seven months and needs to get some exposure against an international team to regain his confidence.

"He had a technical error in his bowling action which is called counter rotation which twisted his spine and resulted in the stress fracture. We identified the fault and changed his alignment so that he is bowling more upright now." Fernando has captured 12 wickets for 220 runs in four matches for SSC in the ongoing Premier Trophy, Sri Lanka's main first class competition.

The other likely contenders for Chaminda Vaas's new ball partner in the Galle Test include Nuwan Zoysa, Dinusha Fernando and Nuwan Kulasekera. Sri Lanka are only likely to play two fast bowlers, unless conditions aid seam bowling.