Rumesh Ratnayake appointed Lanka's head fast bowling coach

Colombo [Sri Lanka], Aug 8 (ANI): Former pacer Rumesh Ratnayake has been appointed as head of fast bowling for the Sri Lanka cricket team. As a part of his job, the 53-year-old will work closely with Sri Lanka's high-performance centre and will oversee the work of the other fast-bowling coaches of the country's cricket board. Ratnayake, however, might not work and tour with the national side. "Ratnayake will head the national fast-bowling programme, spearheading its talent identification, skills development and training processes in cohesion with the national high-performance plan," ESPNcricinfo quoted Sri Lanka Cricket as saying. Reflecting on his Ratnayake's appointment, SLC cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha said the fast bowling coach embedded with the national side is likely to be changed from tour to tour. "All the fast-bowling coaches will work under Rumesh. We will then work with the high-performance centre to get the specialist coaches in whenever the national team needs. We will take specialists to different tours. If the head coach says, 'I want so-and-so', we will put a request to high performance and get that coach," Gurusinha said. Ratnayake is known for his nine-wicket haul against India in 1985-86 which resulted in Sri Lanka's inaugural Test series victory against India - a series in which the fast bowler bagged 20 wickets. Ratnayake, whose career was cut short by injury, has an innings best bowling figures of 6-66.(ANI)