Sri Lanka predicts Australia to feel Warne's pain

BRISBANE, Dec 16 AAP - Australia's world champion cricketers could share Shane Warne's pain in the coming weeks according to Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya.

Sri Lanka plays its first match in the triangular one-day series tomorrow when it meets England at the Gabba, before playing the Warne-less Australia in Perth on Sunday.

Warne dislocated his shoulder last night and Jayasuriya knows the pain after suffering the same injury while playing against South Africa earlier this year.

"I did a similar thing in Morocco. It is a painful injury and it's still not 100 per cent now," Jayasuriya said.

"He is a key bowler for them and it will affect them."

How much Warne's injury affects Australia depends on the performances of England and Sri Lanka after poor summers in the southern hemisphere.

England is winless in Australia while Sri Lanka was paddled 4-1 on its recent South African tour, raising doubts over its World Cup chances in Africa in February and March.

The Sri Lankans are not comfortable on the bouncier wickets in South Africa and Australia, winning just 15 of the 73 completed one-day internationals in the two countries.

Sri Lanka was outgunned by Australia A in a warm-up match at the Gabba on Sunday and coach Dav Whatmore admitted his players had to adjust to unfamiliar surroundings.

"The bigger picture is to develop a team, and the players within it, who can perform in these conditions," Whatmore said.

"We're not happy with (the loss to Australia A) but we've got that game under our belt."

Sri Lanka has been installed as slight favourites by some bookmakers to beat England in an important match for both teams.

Sri Lanka has a fully fit squad, with the exception of star off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, and Jayasuriya has said the tourists will always try to play entertaining cricket.

They should get the chance on a typically good Gabba wicket and against an England team frazzled by its summer losses.

But Jayasuriya, while having no sympathy for England, would not make any predictions about the triangular series.

"You never know what will happen, especially in a one-day game," he said.

Whatmore said tour selectors would probably settle on a team tonight, but it won't be announced until tomorrow.

The England squad arrived in Brisbane today following last night's 89-run loss to Australia at the MCG.

Its senior players won't feel any comfort walking into the Gabba, revisiting the scene of England's 384-run loss to Australia in the first Ashes Test last month.