Confident Marvan keen to keep politics out of cricket

Saturday, 27 September 2014 00:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Former captain Marvan Atapattu became Sri Lanka’s first full-time local coach in 15 years after he was put in charge of the national cricket team on Wednesday (September 24).

Former captain Marvan Atapattu speaks during a news conference regarding his new post at Sri Lanka cricket board in Colombo September 26, 2014. Atapattu became Sri Lanka’s first full-time local coach in 15 years after he was put in charge of the national cricket team on Wednesday. The executive committee of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has “unanimously approved and appointed” Atapattu with immediate effect, the SLC said in a statement without revealing terms and tenure of the appointment some five months before next year’s 50-over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte The last time Sri Lanka had a local head coach was in 1999. Atapattu’s biggest test will come in February next year when cricket’s showpiece event, the World Cup, will be held in New Zealand and Australia. “I know the challenges and expectations, responsibilities that comes along with the opportunity that I have been given. But I strongly believe that I got the support I need to take this team forward, guide this team forward and I am fortunate to have a very talented young team who can bring Sri Lanka success, short term as well as long term,” he said on Friday (September 26). The executive committee of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has “unanimously approved and appointed” Atapattu with immediate effect, the SLC said in a statement without revealing terms and tenure of the appointment some five months before next year’s 50-over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. He said the team would have to work hard. “I simply don’t believe that because we had success in recent few series, that that gives us the edge. Of course our morale is high but we need to work ourselves. We got another good 15 one-day games before we play in the first game on the 14th February,” Atapattu said. Cricket is Sri Lanka’s national sport, but the game has been plagued by political interference in team selection, as well as allegations of widespread corruption by officials. Atapattu said he wants to keep cricket away from politics. “I don’t think and I don’t wish to bring in any politics if at all, and I don’t believe it will be there because as a nation we strive towards one goal and we should be doing that,” he said. Following the resignation of Englishman Paul Farbrace in April, 43-year-old Atapattu was named the interim coach of the team which went on to win a test series in England and a test and one-day series at home against Pakistan. Atapattu, who played 90 tests and 268 one-dayers from 1990-2007, joined the Sri Lankan support staff in 2011 as a batting coach and was made Graham Ford’s deputy in 2013. Roy Dias was the last Sri Lankan to coach the team full-time in 1999 before SLC began its experiments with foreigners. Sri Lanka will host England for seven one-day internationals beginning on November 26.