Cricket: Tour to Sri Lanka cut short

England A's troubled tour of Sri Lanka is to be shortened by 10 days following an official request to restrict the remainder of their itinerary to the south of the island.

Graham Gooch, the England A manager, has been in negotiations with the Sri Lankan Cricket Board since the bomb in Kandy last weekend, which killed 11 people and prompted a switch of venue for the second unofficial Test to Matara and away from the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of independence.

The Sri Lankan Board yesterday agreed to reduce the tour to minimise the risk of the tourists becoming caught up in the terrorist campaign currently being waged by the Tamil Tigers, who want a separate state in the north of the island.

ENGLAND A REVISED ITINERARY: 30 Jan: First unofficial Test (four days) v Sri Lanka A (Kurunegala). Feb 6: Second unofficial Test (four days) v Sri Lanka A (Matara). 13 Feb: Third unofficial Test (four days) v Sri Lanka A (Moratuwa). 18 Feb: First one-day international v Sri Lanka A (Moratuwa). 20 Feb: Second one-day international v Sri Lanka A (Galle). 21 Feb: Third one-day international v Sri Lanka A (Galle). 22 Feb: Departure.

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