Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) will bring in new coaches and a trainer from the start of the New Year 2024 before the forthcoming Zimbabwe series.
In addition apart from the new National selection committee headed by Upul Tharanga SLC will appoint two new selection committees forr the Under 19 cricket team as well as women’s cricket.
The newly appointed SLC overall Consultant Sanath Jayasuriya said their effort is to uplift cricket in all three areas junior level, men’s cricket and women’s cricket.
Changing Selectors, coaches and administrators is not the only solution to build up Sri Lanka cricket. The attitude of the cricketers as well as their discipline is also very important said Sanath Jayasuriya.
I saw an incident involving a senior National cricketer in the SSC and Bloomfield major clubs limited over match at Bloomfield last week which cannot be condoned as they have to set an example for the youngsters added Sanath.
New fielding, batting coach and trainer
Sri Lanka cricket has appointed new fielding coach Upul Chandana for the National team with Thilina Kandamby as batting specialist coach and Naveed Nawaz will continue as the assistant coach. Dilshan Fonseka will be added to the Nationl team as the trainer.
Upul Chandana the brilliant fielder under Arjuna Ranatunga during his playing days and who served as under-19 fielding coach for the last 11 years has been upgraded to the National team.
In fact Kandambi the present Assistant coach of Sri Lanka A team did good job to clinch the LPL championship two in a row for the Jaffna team. Thilina Kandambi the former National player and former Ananda captain had very successful Sri Lanka A cricket series recently with A team head coach Avishka Gunawardena and his ability to work with Sri Lanka players paved the way to get new role.
Dilshan Fonseka the qualified trainer who held the same post earlier as well as Sri Lanka A team and Ragama CC trainer has made a comeback. In addition SLC has named Jerome Jayaratne as High Performance Centre head.
New junior and women’s selection committee
Meanwhile SLC has named new junior National selection committee headed by former Sri Lanka paceman Vinodan John which includes Duminda Wickrmasinghe the former Galle CC top order batter and two former National players Varuna Waragoda and newcomer former National all rounder Hasantha Fernando which will take over after under 19 world cup.
The former women’s cricket National selection committee head Hemantha Devapriya will continue in same post along with former National players Rasanjali Alwis Sripali Weerakkody and Thilaka Gunaratne.
Meanwhile Selection Committee has appointed Kusal Mendis as new men’s team ODI skipper and Wanindu Hasaranga as T- 20 skipper . Hasaranga who missed last world cup due to leg injury now fully recovered and played his first domestic game for CCC in the ongoing Major clubs limited over cricket tournament taking two wickets in his first game also hit 20 runs as a middle order batsman.
Senior players once again call for T-20 squad
Senior players like Anjelo Matthews, Kusal Janith Perera, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Akila Dhananjaya also named for National T 20 preliminary squad and that 22 squad which will be pruned down to 15 for the Zimbabwe series and already Sports Minister Harin Fernando gave approval to both ODI and T20 preliminary squads. Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe cricket series will commence from January 6 and all matches are scheduled to be played at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
Dhammika Ratnaweera