Cricket: Mark Ramprakash to coach Sri Lanka?

Even though Sri Lanka Cricket is yet to officially part ways with Chandika Hathurusingha--the suspended Head Coach of the National Men’s team months before his contract expires in December next year, they are in the process of signing former English cricketer Mark Ramprakash as Head Coach. 

The ex-Middlesex and Surrey cricketer, who played 52 Tests between 1991 and 2002, was part of England’s coaching set up until June this year and was shortlisted to take over the position of betting coach with the Indian team. 

“We have already sent the letter of intent, after we were satisfied with the presentation he made to us this week on skype. If all goes well, he will take over the team from early December,” SLC sources confirmed. 

If Ramprakash takes over, his first assignment would be to take the national Test side to Pakistan--Sri Lanka’s first Test tour since the deadly terrorist attack on Sri Lanka team bus enroute to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore in 2009. 

His appointment will end months long search for Hathurusingha’s successor as the board has decided to terminate his contracts on the instruction and insistent of the Minister of Sports Harin Fernando following a not-so-impressive stint at the helm. 

Hathurusingha remains suspended since August as talks of ending the contract on mutual concent fails to materialize as Hathurusingha wanted SLC to honour their contractual obligations. 

Sacking him would likely cost Sri Lanka Cricket hefty sum as Hathurusingha has repeatedly refused to let go off a position that he was brought in for, for a compensation nothing less than what he is entitled under the signed agreement. 

The contract allows him to pocket one-year’s pay in the event of SLC terminating his contract pre-maturely which the board has desperately attempted to avoid through dialog but Hathurusingha remains adamant, maintaining the decision to sack him is politically motivated. 

“Hopefully we will end this impasse within the next two weeks,” said SLC CEO Ashley de Silva when asked about the status of Hathurusingha’s contract. 

“We are waiting for legal opinions and once that is received, we will reach a decision”. 

Since Hathurusingha’s suspension, the national team was put under Rumesh Ratnayake and Jerome Jayaratne--the interim head coach and consultant coach. 

Meanwhile Sri Lanka Cricket has finalised their Test tour to Pakistan with the first match scheduled for December 11-15 in Rawalpindi and the second test will be played in Karachi from December 19 -23.