Sri Lanka News Round-up (9 January 1999)

9 January 1999

Sri Lanka News Round-up

The Daily News

The 'Daily News' is reliably made to understand that the Executive Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka has appointed B. H. Perera as the liaison officer of the Sri Lanka team when they go to defend the World Cup in England in May.

Perera is presently the media liaison officer of the BCCSL and has no previous experience in this newly-appointed capacity nor of conditions that will prevail in England during the World Cup.

At the same meeting, we understand that former Sri Lanka Test leg-spin and googly bowler Somachandra de Silva was appointed to undertake the task of coaching the spinners.

The BCCSL secretary Saliya Ahangama when contacted yesterday denied these appointments had been made and said that they have not been approved by the ExCo. He further stated the appointments would be further taken up at the next ExCo meeting after the BCCSL president returns from attending the ICC meeting at Christchurch.

However, we reliably learn that de Silva has already commenced work with the spinners at Maitland Place.

The national cricket selectors have named a 30-member pool to prepare for the World Cup cricket tournament in England in May.

A press release from the Cricket Board states the selection committee would consider reducing the number of players in the squad by around February after monitoring their performances.

The final squad to England will comprise 14 players.

The Sri Lanka World Cup pool: Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Roshan Mahanama, Hashan Tillekeratne, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Chaminda Vaas, Muthiah Muralitharan, Upul Chandana, Pramodya Wickremasinghe, Suresh Perera, Nuwan Zoysa, Avishka Gunawardana, Tilan Samaraweera, Ruchira Perera, Mahela Jayawardene, Russel Arnold, Ruwan Kalpage, Mario Villavarayen, Ravindra Pushpakumara, Erik Upashantha, Chamara Soysa, Indika de Saram, Bathiya Perera, Jeewantha Kulatunga, Sajeeva de Silva, Upekha Fernando, Prasanna Jayawardene, T. M. Dilshan.

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