COLOMBO, Feb 16: Sri Lanka have named Mahela Jayawardene as captain for the tour of Bangladesh starting this week. Jayawardene takes over from Marvan Atapattu who has been rested after struggling with back problems during the recent tri-series in Australia.

Sri Lanka’s selectors are also resting fast bowler Chaminda Vaas for the full tour, off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan for the one-day series and Sanath Jayasuriya for the Tests.

Jayawardene, groomed for the captaincy since Jayasuriya relinquished the job in 2003, will lead a young team with Kumar Sangakkara as vice-captain.

Left-hander Russel Arnold is the surprise omission from both squads despite topping the averages in Australia, scoring 322 runs at 53.66 including three fifties.

The one newcomer is fast bowler Dammika Perera, 22, who has impressed recently in domestic cricket.

Wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene, all-rounder Hasantha Fernando and leg-spinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi are recalled after spells on the sidelines.

The squad, who arrived in Colombo early on Thursday, are due to leave for Bangladesh on Friday.

The schedule, rearranged after Sri Lanka’s surprise qualification for the tri-series finals in Australia, includes three One-day Internationals and two Tests.

The squads were to be officially announced later on Thursday after final ratification from the sports ministry.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Bangladeshi cricket fans, led by a former skipper, protested in Dhaka on Thursday a decision to exclude the capital as a venue for the home series against Sri Lanka.

The protesters former a human chain around the Bangabandhu National Stadium in the capital, carrying placards and banners asking: “Why not cricket in Dhaka?”

The Bangabandhu Stadium, Bangladesh’s traditional cricket venue, has recently been given entirely to soccer use.

Former skipper Naimur Rahman and Gazi Golam Dastagir, a senior official of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), participated in Thursday’s protest.

“Dhaka had been the Mecca of cricket in the country for more than 50 years, but the authorities intentionally left it unready ahead of the home series against Sri Lanka,” Naimur said.

The BCB chose Bogra and Chittagong as the venues of the series after the International Cricket Council had refused to approve any of the two alternative cricket stadiums in Dhaka.

“It’s unthinkable that Dhaka has not been awarded any match of the series,” one protester said.

One-day squad: Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Kumar Sangakkara (vice-captain), Upul Tharanga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Jehan Mubarak, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Chamara Kapugedera, Farveez Maharoof, Hasantha Fernando, Dhammika Prasad, Dilhara Fernando, Ruchira Perera, Akalanka Ganegama, Malinga Bandara, Kaushal Lokuarachchi.

Test squad: Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Sangakkara (vice-captain), Tharanga, Michael Vandort, Dilshan, Kapugedera, Prasanna Jayawardene, Muttiah Muralitharan, Bandara, Maharoof, Prasad, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Thilan Samaraweera, Sajeeewa Weerakoon.

Schedule:

Feb 20: First one-dayer (Bogra, D/N).

Feb 22: Second one-dayer (Bogra).

Feb 25: Third one-dayer (Chittagong).

Feb 28-March 4: First Test (Chittagong).

March 8-12: Second Test (Bogra).—Reuters