Mendis to mediate

Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive officer Duleep Mendis is set for talks with his star players over the disputed tour to England.

The Asians are due to tour England in April and May next year, with two Tests and three one-day internationals scheduled.

However the tour has been thrown into doubt as it will clash with the second season of the Indian Premier League, with several top Sri Lankans set to ply their trade on the sub-continent in the lucrative six-week extravaganza.

There has been talk of a sub-strength Sri Lanka squad touring but that would have financial implications for the ECB and would doubtless cause problems.

Mendis hopes that he can mediate in the dispute, saying: "I have been asked to see how the matter could be sorted out.

"I will talk to the players and see what best can be done. We are looking at the possibility of the players taking a short break from the IPL to tour England."