Hathurusingha’s wings clipped?
Chaminda Mendis
Former opening batsman Chaminda Mendis who is now drafted into the National Cricket Selection panel under Asantha de Mel will join the New Zealand’s tour squad in an apparent move the neutralise power yielded by head coach Chandika Hathurusingha.
Besides acting as head coach on tour, Hathurusingha is also a tour selector on the strength of that clause being included in his employment contract. Nevertheless since the decline of the Lankan on field performances, there has been a lot of pressure and a lot of questions being asked from the national coach and the unlimited powers he yielded on and off the field.
When asked SLC’s cricket committee member Michael de Zoysa on the situation he said “Yes, Mendis, will be tour with the Sri Lanka team during the tour of New Zealand. On tour he will head the selection panel and will liaise all matters pertaining team composition with Chief Selector, Asantha de Mel”
In answer to the question of what would be the position of Hathurusingha in this scenario as he is also a tour selector, de Zoysa said “Definitely, Hathurusingha will be a part of the selection panel, but, the selection process will be headed by Mendis while the tour is on.”
De Zoysa also revealed that the Lankan team is on an urgent lookout for a national fielding coach and spin bowling coaches.
He said “In reality our fielding has been below par in recent times and this is one areas that we are putting a lot of emphasis on. In fact we have been speaking to some of the likely candidates”.
Asked when are they hoping to go through these appointments de Zoysa said; “We are looking to fill these positions very urgently – in fact the appointments should have been made yesterday”.
Chandika Hathurusingha
TOUR SQUAD
Batsmen
Dinesh Chandimal – Captain
Dimuth Karunaratne – Vice Captain
Danushka Gunathilaka
Lahiru Thirimanne
Kusal Mendis
Dhananjaya De Silva
Angelo Mathews
Roshen Silva
Wicket-keepers
Niroshan Dickwella
Sadeera Samarawickrama
Spinners
Dilruwan Perera
Lakshan Sandakan
Seamers
Suranga Lakmal
Nuwan Pradeep
Kasun Rajitha
Lahiru Kumara
Dushmantha Chameera
Tour Details:
Dec 15 (Sat) – Dec 19 (Wed)
1st Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington
Dec 26 (Wed) – Dec 30 (Sun)
2nd Test at Hagley Oval, Christchurch
Jan 3 (Thu)
1st ODI at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
Jan 05 (Sat)
2nd ODI at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
Jan 08 (Tue)
3rd ODI at Saxton Oval, Nelson
Jan 11 (Fri)
Only T20I at Eden Park, Auckland