Off The Field

Piyal Wijetunge Backs Sajeewa Weerakoon For SL Assistant Spin Bowling Coach

Written by N Krishnamurthy

Piyal Wijetunge, the spin bowling coach of Sri Lanka Cricket team, has backed former left arm spinner Sajeewa Weerakoon for assistant spin bowling coach, Cricket Age reliably learns.

Few months ago, Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) had advertised for the assistant coaches for the national team. Cricket Age learns that now SLC has shortlisted three names – Sajeewa Weerakoon, Niroshan Bhandaratilake and Nilantha Cooray for the post.

Weerakoon had played two ODIs for Sri Lanka, but shares a good rapport with Piyal Wijetunge. There are lot of stories of their bonding, as they used to often hanging out together.

However, the twist in the story is that Sri Lanka’s head coach Chandika Hathurasingha is backing Nilantha Cooray for the job, as both have played together at Tamil Union.

“It’s like a race going on within national team, where everyone wants to bring his own associates. Few days ago, Hathurusingha wanted to bring Ruwan Kalpage, but board refused” a top SLC official told Cricket Age.

According to sources, Hathurusingha was so much determined to bring Ruwan Kalpage that he suggested SLC to hire him at any possible post – as assistant fielding coach or as assistant bowling coach. However, SLC replied to Hathurusingha that board is already carrying a ‘white elephant’ Thilan Samaraweera, as he is of no use as a batting coach!

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N Krishnamurthy