Sri Lanka have given 14 days ultimatum to national team head coach Chandika Hathurasingha to respond on non compliance to Sri Lanka Sports Minister Harin Fernando’s directive on which he has urged troublesome coach to resign, Cricket Age reliably learns.
Also, for New Zealand Series, COO of Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) Jerome Jayarathne has been appointed as team’s interim coach.
New Zealand have already arrived in the Island for one month long tour. The first Test will be played in Galle starting August 14, and the second will begin on August 22 at Colombo’s P Sara stadium.
Three T20s will be played on August 31, September 2 and September 6.
On Friday, SLC had requested Sports Minister Harin Fernando to allow Hathurasingha to continue until the upcoming New Zealand Series.
According to sources, Harin and SLC took the decision to give few more days to Hathurusingha, only for him to walk out gracefully and without any controversy.
However, Cricket Age learns that Hathurusingha, with keeping an eye on his million dollars salary only, has refused to leave national team gracefully and has refused a amicable settlement with SLC also.
That has left SLC and Harin Fernando with only one option, that is to issue an ultimatum to Hathurusingha.
“We wants him to leave gracefully. But it seems that Hathurasingha wants to fight. Instead of taking responsibility for his failure as Sri Lanka Coach, he is unnecessary putting blame on others” a senior SLC administrator told Cricket Age.
Obviously, by ignoring his epic failure to deliver anything significant for Sri Lanka cricket, Hathurusingha still wants to complete remaining 16 months of his contract, only to get 40,000 USD salary per month.
“He is not realizing the fact that for everyone of us, the interest of Sri Lanka team is the top most priority” the senior administrator added further.
“That’s why, now he has been given 14 days ultimatum to reply for non compliance on honorable Sports Minister directive. If he won’t bother to reply, then we will sack him” the senior administrator concluded.
At the same time, Jerome’s appointment as interim coach will provide much needed stability to the national side, Amids controversy surrounding Hathurusingha. Jerome, even though is a failure as SLC COO, has been considered as good, capable coach. More importantly for Sri Lanka at this particular time, he has coached national team in the past and shares good rapport with players.
