Sri Lanka rest Malinga for opening test v West Indies

COLOMBO, (Reuters) – Sri Lanka have decided to rest  strike bowler Lasith Malinga for the first test against West  Indies in Galle which starts on Monday.

A spokesman for the selection committee said yesterday  the paceman was being rested because of the amount of cricket he  played on the recent tour of Australia.

Malinga, who also has a lingering knee problem, won the man  of the series award in Sri Lanka’s 2-1 victory over Australia in  the one-day internationals.

The selectors named four fast bowlers in their 16-man squad  for the first test — Dammika Prasad, Dilhara Fernando, Thilan  Thushara and Suranga Lakmal.

Sri Lanka will be without spinner Muttiah Muralitharan who  retired from tests in June with a world record haul of 800  wickets.

Squad: Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne  Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavitana, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo  Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardene, Thilina Kandamby, Ajantha Mendis,  Suraj Randiv, Rangana Herath, Kaushal Silva, Dammika Prasad,  Dilhara Fernando, Thilan Thushara, Suranga Lakmal.