Daryl Foster to help Lanka? (3 February 1999)

3 February 1999

Daryl Foster to help Lanka?

Elmo Rodrigopulle

SYDNEY, Australia, Tuesday -Daryl Foster, the former West Australian and Kent coach who is advising the Sri Lankan cricketers here will be signed on in the same capacity when the Lankans tour England in May to defend the World Cup.

Foster has been approached by the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka to serve in a similar capacity and he is likely to accept the offer.

When I spoke to Foster and asked him to comment, he said that he had been asked, but that nothing official had been told to him. 'However if I am officially asked I will accept', said Foster whom the cricketers seem to like.

Coach Roy Dias said that it is good to have an advisor with the team. 'Foster has been of immense help to the team. And it will a plus point to have with us in England', said Dias who is performing well as coach.

Incidentally Foster coached Western Australia for 20 years and Kent, the English county for six years. He was Aravinda de Silva's coach when our man was basing the county bowlers around.

The BCCSL has been able to collect Australian dollars 20 thousands from the functions that they have organised in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne and Tasmania.

'These Functions have been organised under the direct supervision of the BCCSL and I am very happy with the response and the work done by our representative in these states, said BCCSL President Thilanga Sumathipala.

'In the past similar functions have been organised, but the monies collected have not been accounted for', said Sumathipala who visits every state to see how things are working out.

On February 4, the BCCSL has organised a dance in Sydney to mark Independence Day and here too the President is confident of raising funds for the further development of the game.

On Monday when the Lankans flew in from Perth, the Isipatana Maha Vidyalaya Old Boys Association (Sydney Branch), held a dinner in honour of two of their past pupils and sportsmen - Suresh Perera, who captained the vidyalaya in 1996 and Lionel - the cheer leader - who played rugger for the school in the seventies.

The dinner was organised by the President of Isipatana OBA Chandra Wijeratne, who incidentally was the first Isipathanian to enter the University of Ceylon as it was then called and Amal Seneratne. Over 40 Isipathanians, their wives and children attended the dinner.

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