Sri Lanka vice-captain Mahela Jayawardene admits the absence of Australian pace ace Shaun Tait from Sunday's Twenty20 clash at the WACA has eased his team's worries.

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and paceman Peter Siddle will make their international returns from injury in Sunday's Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka at the WACA ground after being named in the 12-man Australian squad.

A Perth Magistrate has dropped charges against a Sri Lankan asylum seeker, accused of taking part in a riot at the Christmas Island detention centre last year.

A magistrate will travel to Christmas Island this week to inspect the detention centre where eight Sri Lankan asylum seekers are alleged to have taken part in a riot.

86 asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Iran, have spent their first night at a former mining camp in the Goldfields town of Leonora.

Talented Western Australia batsman Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out of the upcoming Australia A series against Sri Lanka due to a serious ankle injury.

Five Sri Lankan asylum seekers are missing and presumed drowned after attempting to swim for help when their vessel ran out of fuel, food and water off the West Australian coast.

The Government's decision to suspend asylum seeker claims from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan will not stop the boats, the Coalition says.

The Federal Government has announced an immediate suspension of asylum seeker claims from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, as news emerged that an asylum boat with 70 people on board sank off Christmas Island early this morning.