Cricket: Chaminda Mendis named tour selector for New Zealand Series

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 part in an apparent move the neutralise power yielded by head coach Chandika Hathurusingha. 

Besides acting as the 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 be the head coaching panel and he will liaise all matters pertaining team composition with head coach, 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 coach. 

He said “In reality our fielding has been below par in recent times and this is one area that we are putting a lot of emphasis on. In fact we have been speaking to some of the likely candidates”. 

When asked by 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”. 

TOUR SQUAD 

Batsmen 
Dinesh Chandimal – Captain 
Dimuth Karunaratne – Vice Captain 
Danushka Gunathilaka 
Lahiru Thirimanne 
Kusal Mendis 
Dhananjaya De Silva 
Angelo Mathews 
Roshen Silva 

Wicketkeepers 
Niroshan Dickwella 
Sadeera Samarawickrama 

Spinners 
Dilruwan Perera 
Lakshan Sandakan 

Seamers 
Suranga Lakmal 
Nuwan Pradeep 
Kasun Rajitha 
Lahiru Kumara 
Dushmantha Chameera 

Tour Details: 

December 15 - 19: 1st Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington 

December  26 - 30: 2nd Test at Hagley Oval, Christchurch 

January 3: 1st ODI at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui 

January 5: 2nd ODI at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui 

January 8: 3rd ODI at Saxton Oval, Nelson 

January 11: Only T20I at Eden Park, Auckland