For Test, One day and Twenty20 series against Australia:

Rumesh-Lanka’s head coach

Chris DHAMBARAGE

Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage has approved the appointment of former Sri Lankan Test and One day International player Rumesh Ratnayake as Sri Lanka’s Head Coach for the upcoming home Test, One day and Twenty20 series against Australia.

Ratnayake who is attached to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) as a Development Officer will be with the national team during the entire series which starts on August 6 and ends on September 20.

The 47 year old dynamic fast bowler made his Test debut against New Zealand in 1982-1983 at Christchurch. He captured 73 Test wickets in a career which spanned 26 Test matches.

Ratnayake with his whippy action, lively pace and bounce was Sri Lanka’s main strike bowler during his playing days. He made his One Day International debut against India in Bangalore in 1982, and captured 76 ODI wickets during his illustrious career, which ended in December 1993.

Ratnayake was a member of the Sri Lanka Team that won its first ever Test in 1985, after the country gained Test status in 1982. He picked up nine wickets in that historic Test match played at the P. Saravanamuttu Oval and went on to win the Men of the Match award.

He is a recipient of two level three coaching certificates, level three Australia in 2009, and ACC level three in 2010. He had earlier signed a four year contract to be Sri Lanka’s assistant coach in 2007 but withdraw from his assignment due to family commitments.

Ratnayake has been an ACC Development Officer since August 2001, during which time he has worked on developing cricketers to play in ACC and ICC tournaments. The countries currently under his supervision are Bahrain, Bhutan, Hong Kong, Maldives and Nepal.

Ratnayake is set to meet his assistant coaches - Marvan Atapattu (batting), Champaka Ramanayake (bowling) and Ruwan Kalpage (fielding) on Monday to discuss the strategy for the Australian series which begins with the two Twenty20 matches at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy.

Earlier former Australian batsman Stuart Law, who was appointed as the Interim Coach for Sri Lanka’s tour of England stepped down at the conclusion of the England tour to join Bangladesh as their Head Coach.