Graeme Labrooy appointed Sri Lanka chief selector

Former Sri Lanka seamer Graeme Labrooy will be Sri Lanka's next chief selector. Both SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala and Labrooy himself confirmed the development on Friday.

SLC had also been hoping to rope in the likes of Brendon Kuruppu for its selection committee, but at this stage Kuruppu appears unlikely to take up the position - especially because he had originally been among the selectors that had been sacked by this very board. It is as yet unclear who will serve in Labrooy's committee, which SLC has said it will announce on September 18.

"I have given my consent to SLC," Labrooy said. "We'll go through the names and confirm the other selectors later."

Labrooy presently serves as an ICC match referee - largely at a lower level than Sri Lanka ordinarily plays. As such, there is a potential conflict of interest with his new role as chief selector. He is seeking clarification from ICC as to how he might proceed, he said.

Though a 25-member preliminary squad for the Tests against Pakistan has already been chosen, the new selection committee's first assignment will be to finalise the 15 that will travel to the UAE - including Sri Lanka's maiden day-night Test - later this month.

Labrooy played nine Tests and 44 ODIs for Sri Lanka between 1986 and 1992. He has 27 Test wickets to his name - a tally that memorably includes a five-wicket haul in Brisbane.