Mendis Must Convince Sri Lanka To Tour

Mendis - needs to ponder persuasion techniques.

Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive officer Duleep Mendis has been entrusted with the task of persuading Sri Lanka's cricketers to tour England next year.

The England and Wales Cricket Board announced in July this year Sri Lanka would play two Tests and three one-day internationals in April and May 2009.

But Sri Lanka's players have refused to tour as the dates clash with the second edition of the Indian Premier League.

Several Sri Lankan cricketers, including skipper Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis, have contracts with IPL clubs.

Sri Lankan players refused to attend talks with Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge and SLC officials on Friday and instead sent Sri Lanka Cricketers Union representative Graeme Labrooy.

No final decision was made at the meeting.

"I have been asked to see how the matter could be sorted out," said Mendis.

"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."

Mendis was expected to speak to the players over the weekend.

The players are reported to have gone so far as to suggest they would resign in order to play in the IPL.

But captain Jayawardene refused to comment on the issue.

He told the Daily Mirror: "We will make our decision known after discussing it."