The Sri Lankans who have drawn their match against Somerset and suffered a defeat at the hands of Glamorgan, will be hoping for a victory over Leicestershire at Grace Road.
This summer sees two Vodafone challenge series being played against South Africa and Sri Lanka sponsored by Vodafone. In a move to ensure a high standard of cricket and encourage the counties to field strong teams Vodafone will reward, the counties with a cheque for Sterling Pounds 11,000 for a win against the tourists and Sterling Pounds 2,750 for a tie or a draw. There will also be a Vodafone Man of the Match award of Sterling Pounds 500 which have so far been awarded to Russel Arnold of Sri Lanka for his double century at Taunton and to Mathew Mayhard captain of Glamorgan for his magnificent 99 runs.
Vodafone are the official sponsors of the English cricket and their commitment to English cricket to the tune of nearly Sterling Pounds 15 million is a great boost for the game. The ECB has allocated a sizeable amount of money to the counties from this sponsorship.
The games are invaluable in terms of acclimatisation to English conditions for the tourists and provide an excellent opportunity for the county sides to experience an opponent of international standing.