The New Nation - Internet Edition

BBC Online

Off-spinner Mutiah Muralitharan looks likely to miss Sri Lanka's five-match one-day series against England which begins in Dambulla on 1 October.

The 35-year-old is recovering from a bicep injury which ruled him out of the recent World Twenty20 tournament

Captain Mahela Jayawardene said: "I would say he's definitely out of the first couple of games.

"We'll see how things go after that We have a lot of Test cricket coming up so we need to make a sensible decision."

England, aiming to claim their first one-day series win on Sri Lankan soil, are not taking Muralitharan's absence for granted, however.

"We're told he's going to be out for the first couple of games, but we're preparing as if he's going to be playing," said captain Paul Collingwood.

If Muralitharan fails to make the start of the series, leg-spinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi is expected to replace him.

New Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss said: "He's a leg-spinner, he's good in the field and he can bat a bit

"If he gets an opportunity in this series I'm sure he'll be able to hold his own."

Sri Lanka squad for series against England:

M Jayawardene (captain), K Sangakkara, S Jayasuriya, U Tharanga, C Silva, T Dilshan, J Mubarak, F Maharoof, C Vaas, L Malinga, D Fernando, K Lokuarachchi, M Muralitharan (subject to fitness), G Wijekoon, D Perera. Stand-by: M Bandara, N Kulasekara, C Kapugedera, C Welagedera.