The selectors comprising Duleep Mendis, Ranjan Madugalle, T. B. Kehelgamuwa, Roy Dias and Sidat Wettimuny picked a well balanced team which was ratified by the Minister of Youth Affairs, Sports and Rural Development S. B. Dissanayake yesterday.
Asanka Gurusinha who was cleared by the Board's Executive Committee for selection has also been included and also in the squad is Marvan Atapattu who should add to his batting stature on this tour.
With the wickets and conditions being conducive to pace in NZ the selectors have given skipper Ranatunga five pacemen _ Chaminda Vaas, Ravindra Pushpakumara, Pramodaya Wickremasinghe, Sajeewa Silva and Nuwan Soysa.
What is encouraging is the inclusion of the promising Nuwan Soysa. This left armer bowls with a lot of fire and is accurate. He has the ability to move the ball both ways and with his height is able to extract disconcerting bounce.
Off cutter Kumara Dharmasena has been given his ticket to New Zealand. Ruwan Kalpage who missed out will lead the 'A' side to Bangladesh.
The selectors have opted for one wicket keeper and Romesh Kaluwitharne will do duty.
Sri Lanka will play Two Tests, three one-dayers and a couple of practice games during their tour of Kiwiland.
THE TOUR PARTY; ARJUNA RANATUNGA (CAPT), ARAVINDA DE SILVA (VC), ROSHAN MAHANAMA, SANATH JAYASURIYA, HASHAN TILLEKERATNE, ASANKA GURUSINHA, KUMARA DHARMASENA, ROMESH KALUWITHARNE, MUTTIAH MURALITHERAN, CHAMINDA VAAS, PRAMODAYA WICKREMASINGHE, RAVINDRA PUSHPAKUMARA, NUWAN SOYSA, SAJEEWA DE SILVA AND MARVAN ATAPATTU. DULEEP MENDIS (MANAGER), BRUCE YARDLEY (COACH) AND ALEX KOUNTOURI (PHYSI0).