Australia to reconsider ODI selection after pitch change

avid Warner said Australia will make a late decision on their team to face Sri Lanka in the fourth one-day international on Wednesday after the stand-in captain was informed a different pitch will be used on the eve of the game.

The tourists were expecting to play on the same strip as they did for the third ODI in Dambulla on Sunday, only to be told that the old wicket was being prepared at the Rangiri International Stadium.

Warner, deputising for the rested Steve Smith, revealed that Australia will wait until the day of the game to select their side as they attempt to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

The opening batsman said: “I’d like to give you an answer for the team, but unfortunately rocking up today I thought we were going to play on the other wicket.

“So I think we’ll need to have another look tomorrow and re-assess from there.

“The selectors did have a team if we were playing on the other wicket that was prepared, that we initially thought we were going to play on.”

Warner confirmed that Usman Khawaja will get his chance after Shaun Marsh returned home with a broken finger.

“The poor fellow hasn’t had much luck in the past 12 to 24 months, so we wish him a speedy recovery,” Warner said of Marsh.

“He’s a very good player of spin bowling and Usman comes in for his place.”