Bayliss calls for improvement in management

Trevor Bayliss, the former Sri Lanka coach, has said there has to be an improvement in management and administration backing the national team. Bayliss' tenure as coach ended after the World Cup, where Sri Lanka finished as runners-up, and Stuart Law was named as an interim replacement.

"On the field, we've done pretty well for past 18 months," Bayliss told AFP. "Getting to the World Cup final itself is an achievement, though we lost [to India]. Good teams like Australia usually have got strong or good management backing the team up. That's an area in which we can improve here."

Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene stepped down as captain and vice-captain respectively, and the selection committee headed by Aravinda de Silva also resigned. No interim committee will be appointed until the country's sports minister takes a call. Bayliss admitted players had several "distractions", and praised them for keeping their focus despite the problems.

"I am constantly amazed how well the players do [on the field], with all the distractions put in front of them. It seems to be the subcontinent way. That's a skill in itself."

The resignations of Sangakkara and Jayawardene was a "shame", Bayliss said. "They are the best two guys to take Sri Lanka forward. They probably had enough of putting up with distractions.

"These days a captain has to deal with issues that sometimes have got nothing to do with cricket. They have done a great service to Sri Lanka. Guess, they deserve a break."

Angelo Mathews, the allrounder, has the potential to be a captain, Bayliss added. "I think 23-year-old Mathews could be a future captain of Sri Lanka. Maybe a couple of years for him at the international level first would get him some confidence, before adding on the responsibility of captain."

Bayliss will head to New South Wales to coach the state side, a position he held prior to coaching Sri Lanka. "Have I achieved everything? I don't know," he said. "Cricket is a learning process. In my journey, cricket continues to be a learning experience."