Cricket: Cricket Australia appoints Thilan Samaraweera as batting consultant

Cricket Australia (CA) has recruited former Sri Lanka batsman Thilan Samaraweera as its batting consultant as Australia is gearing up to take on Sri Lanka very shortly. 

Currently he is working with some Australia Test players in his brief consulting stint at Australia's National Cricket Centre in Brisbane according to reports.

Samaraweera's role will be for a short term but he is presently working closely with some of Australia Test players, who are preparing for their tour against Sri Lanka, which begins in July. 

The former specialized Test batsman for Sri Lanka now based in Melbourne, has also begun to work with Australia 'A' and Under-19s players at Brisbane.   

Cricket Australia has also prepared two turning pitches at the academy in order to emulate Sri Lankan conditions. It is on these surfaces that Samaraweera has been working with the Test players.

Cricket Australia has earlier hired coaches accustomed to local conditions in the recent times with the latest being Samaraweera. 

S. Sriram, the former India batsman, Muttiah Muralitharan, the former Sri Lanka spinner and Allan Donald, the former South Africa fast bowler, were some of the recent short term recruits Cricket Australia hired in the recent times. 

Australia are scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka in mid July and the first Test will be played at Pallekele on July 26.