Wisden overview
One of new young faces in the Sri Lankan squad, Fernando has inspired hope that he will be the long-term replacement for Chaminda Vaas as the cutting edge of the pace attack. This hope is primarily based on speed rather than substance: six months after making his Test debut, he was timed at 91.9mph in Durban, where he returned his best figures and ruffled South Africa's feathers. He has natural pace, hits the pitch hard and moves the ball off the seam, but has paid for inconsistent line and length. He also tends to drag his front foot beyond the popping crease with alarming regularity. Exorbitantly expensive in his first few one-day matches, Fernando showed signs of coming to grips with the limited-overs format, taking 13 wickets in seven VB Series matches. Little batting pedigree. Simon Wilde

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