DAMBULLA: Sri Lanka’s cricket coach Nick Pothas has blamed outside interference for a string of poor performances, saying frequent changes to the selection line-up had made his job “very difficult”.
Pothas hit out after Sri Lanka, who suffered a 3-0 Test whitewash at home last week, went down to India by nine wickets in the first of five one-day internationals in Dambulla.
“You do get angry – to say ´too many cooks´ is probably accurate,” the former wicketkeeper-batsman told reporters in Dambulla. “You get frustrated. Am I angry with the players? Absolutely not. The players work as hard as anyone can ask of them.
“They´ve been superb. Support staff have been out of this world. Brilliant. They work endless hours with planning and helping the boys. You can´t fault anyone within that changing room.”
Sri Lanka´s woeful run has continued since their first-round exit in the eight-team Champions Trophy in June followed by an embarrassing 3-2 ODI loss to minnows Zimbabwe at home.
The Sanath Jayasuriya-led selection committee has fielded 40 players in ODIs since taking over in May last year.
Pothas, who took up coaching duties after Graham Ford quit mid-contract end of June, said there had been too many changes.
“When you get consistency within a team of players, you will see improvements in performance,” said the 43-year-old.
“When we´re getting new players every game, it gets very difficult from a confidence point of view. From the player´s point of view it´s very difficult. It´s difficult for us – the coaching staff – to create a strategy.”
There have been reports of a power struggle emerging after 1996 World Cup hero Asanka Gurusinha was appointed manager.
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