Barry Richards to assist Sri Lankan batsmen (30 Jan 1998)

Friday 30, January 1998

Barry Richards to assist our batsmen

By SA'ADI THAWFEEQ

Barry Richards, one of the greatest batsmen produced by South Africa, is to assist our batsmen before they embark on a two-Test tour to that country.

Richards has been contracted by the Sri Lanka Cricket Board for two years during which period he will make three visits starting with the first on February 15.

He is due again before our cricketers leave for Australia in December this year for the World Series Cup and, again before we go to England for the World Cup in May 1999.

"Richards is one of the best players of the moving ball, having played on pitches on either side of the world. His guidance in this aspect will be valuable to our cricketers when they play in South Africa," said Thilanga Sumathipala, chairman of the coaching committee and a vice-president of the Cricket Board.

Sri Lanka is due to commence a tour of South Africa in the first week of March. Apart from the Test series, they will be participating in a three-nation one-day tournament involving the host country and Pakistan.

The pitches in South Africa are very much conducive to pace and movement and Sri Lankan batsmen who are more accustomed to the slow turning surfaces in the sub-continent will need to adjust greatly to tackle Allan Donald & Co successfully. In this aspect, whatever tips Richards can pass on to our cricketers will prove invaluable.

Richards was contracted on the recommendation of former Test cricketers Sidath Wettimuny and Roy Dias of Sri Lanka and Bruce Yardley of Australia.

During his two-week stay in Sri Lanka, he will work closely with the Cricket Board's Batting Clinic which comprises Roy Dias (chairman), Sidath Wettimuny, Anura Tennekoon and Bandula Warnapura.

Negotiations to contract him began during the Asia Cup tournament held in Sri Lanka last July when Richards was here as a commentator for World Tel.

Richards (52), played only four Tests for South Africa in 1970-71 against Australia before his country was banned from international cricket for their apartheid policies. But in that short time, he proved to the world his outstanding talents as right-hand opening batsman accumulating 508 runs (avg. 72.57) with two centuries and two fifties including a top score of 140. Deprived of proving his competency at the highest level, Richards made a career with English county side Hampshire and later with South Australia in the Sheffield Shield competition and, time and again implied what international cricket had lost. Until recently, he was chief executive of Queensland CA before moving over to Western Australia.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)