New coaching roles for former Lankan cricketers

Sri Lanka ‘A’ team coach Avishka Gunawardene

Sri Lanka Emerging team coach Ruwan Kalpage

Sri Lanka Under-19 team coach Jehan Mubarak

National fielding coach Anton Roux

Sri Lanka Cricket has shuffled a few coaches and given them new appointments as part of the restructuring program of the High Performance Centre.

The changes are aimed at further enhancing the focus on the National, ‘A’, Emerging and Under-19 teams.

The new coaching appointments approved by the Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket sees Avishka Gunawardene who was the Sri Lanka U-19 team coach being re-installed as the Sri Lanka ‘A’ team head coach, a role he fulfilled some time ago.

Thilina Kandamby, whose had a successful run as a coach with SSC, Jaffna Stallions and Jaffna, is the assistant coach to Gunawardene. Three former Sri Lanka cricketers are also part of the coaching staff – Malinda Warnapura as batting coach, Sajeewa Weerakoon as bowling coach and Upul Chandana as fielding coach.

Former Sri Lanka cricketer Ruwan Kalpage will be the head coach of the Sri Lanka Emerging side that is due to tour England next month. He will have as his assistants Ruvin Peiris as assistant coach, Dhammika Sudarshana as batting coach and Dharshana Gamage as the bowling coach.

Kalpage has the experience of working as head coach of the Bangladesh National Cricket Academy for three years (2008-2010) and as assistant coach of the Bangladesh team to Chandika Hathurusingha from 2014-16.

The Sri Lanka Under-19 team will be coached by another former Sri Lanka cricketer Jehan Mubarak who will be assisted by Sampath Perera. Perera will also be the batting coach, with Chamila Gamage as bowling coach and Gayan Wijekoon as fielding coach. All these appointments came into effect from 1 March.

Anton Roux, former head coach of Netherlands men’s team was appointed the National fielding coach with effect from 7 March. Roux played first-class cricket in South Africa and will be in charge of fielding across all national teams and the High Performance Centre. Prior to joining Sri Lanka Cricket, Roux was working as the assistant (fielding) coach of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. 

 (ST)