Sri Lanka have to wait for Barry Richards to start as batting coach

The Interim Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka will have to wait to bring in Barry Richards as batting coach.

The board's initial plan was to bring Richards in ahead of the three match Test series against Indian and then to follow it up with two other stints ahead of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.

With the busy domestic cricket schedule many of the leading players are taking part in the Mercantile Cricket Tournament and, with the imminent Pakistan A tour, the plan will not be realized before the Indian trip.

A member of the Interim Committee, Sidath Wettimuny, confirmed that the South African great will only be coming in October or November. CricInfo also learns that the board has not yet signed the contract with Richards.