Feb 04 (IC) After a testing tour of South Africa, Sri Lanka's batsmen will fare better in Australian conditions than their neighbours India have, when the Commonwealth Bank Tri Series starts on February 5, says Geoff Marsh. Marsh was the Sri Lankan head coach on their tour of South Africa before being replaced by Graham Ford after just three-month into his two-year stint.

Feb 03 (ESPNCI) Sri Lanka A won the fourth match of their series with England Lions to draw level at 2-2 and set up a decider in Colombo on Monday. Despite a brisk opening partnership between Samit Patel, promoted up the order in place of Joe Root, and Alex Hales, the Lions limped to 204 all out in 42.1 overs after being asked to bat. Sri Lanka's batsmen also struggled to score freely but solid contributions from the top order eventually saw them to their target. When Kosala Kulasekara became the third wicket to fall in 16 balls - with 17 still needed for victory and No. 8 Malinga Bandara on his way to the crease - the Lions may have sensed an unlikely reprieve.

Feb 03 (IC) Australia's prime minister Julia Gillard hosted the touring Sri Lanka cricket team at her residence today, ahead of the team's practise match against the Prime Ministers XI which takes place on February 3 at the Manuka Oval.

Feb 03 (CP) Colombo- The cricket authority, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has decided to convert the present inter club cricket tournament to a four-day series of encounters from 2014. Eight sides are to be participated in the four-day tournament. Six clubs of the ten clubs that play Division A now and two clubs that excel from division B are to be included in the eight teams that play four-day cricket.

Feb 03 (AAP) The PM's XI match against Sri Lanka in Canberra has been abandoned due to incessant rain. The match between Brad Haddin's young squad and Mahela Jayawardene's national team was due to start at 10am (AEDT) on Friday at Manuka Oval, but was postponed early hoping a light drizzle would clear.

Feb 01 (IC) Sri Lanka have yet to win a tri-series in Australia despite taking part in eight such tournaments since 1985. Their first tri-series game was against the hosts at Sydney on January 8, 1985, when the tournament was known as the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup. Two decades later however, in 2006, they reached the best-of-three final where they lost to Australia 2-1.