Ford quits as Sri Lanka coach
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s cricket coach Graham Ford has quit, officials Elaine “Every time I run, I am getting said on Saturday, midway through a Thompson lowered her worldbetter and better and I just want to 45-month contract and just two weeks leading time in the 100 metres maintain this form going into the after the team’s early exit from the at the Jamaican Track and Field World Championships. Every day Champions Trophy. Championships on Friday, while Usain encourages me at training,” he Sri Lanka’s cricket board said thesaid.formerworldchampYohanBlake 56-year-old South African was ending roared to his fastest time in five years. Asked if there was any athlete that his second stint with the team after a Thompson clocked a 10.71 he feared on the track Blake said, “decision arrived at mutually.” seconds to win the women’s 100m “there is no one to fear, I train with
No immediate replacement was and Blake did likewise in the men’s the fastest man ever; what’s there announced. Sri Lanka will play a 100m with a blazing time of 9.90 to fear? I feel really good, and I am home series of five ODI matches and seconds. confident again and riding this wave one Test against Zimbabwe from the On a cool evening at Kingston’s of euphoria.” end of this month. iconic National Stadium, the two Thompson just missed equaling
Ford, who was previously with Sri provided the star power with the her personal best as she lowered her Lanka from 2012 to 2014, had said he absence of Jamaican Olympic heroes time form the 10.78 seconds. She faced a huge rebuilding task when he Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraserstreaked away from the field with the returned to the team in February last Pryce. Blake is making a comeback veteran Simone Facey taking second year, when the islanders had dropped after several years on the sidelines in 11.04 seconds and Jura Levy third down the rankings. with injuries. His time was his fastest in 11.06 seconds.
Sri Lanka failed to reach the since 2012 when he ran 9.69 seconds Rhonda Whyte created the biggest semifinals of this month’s eight-team in Lausanne. upset of the evening as she stormed Champions Trophy in England, and Julian Forte was second in 10.04 over the last three hurdles to win the there have been recriminations with seconds after running a career best 400m hurdles in a career best time of the country’s sports minister accusing 9.99 seconds in the semifinals, while 54.29 seconds. the players of being too fat. “Sri Lanka Senoj-Jay Givans booked his first Kellion Knibb broke the national has grown on me, and although we’ve spot on a senior national team by record in the women’s discus throw made the decision to part ways where placing third in 10.05 seconds. for the third time this year after she coaching is concerned, she will always Blake said he has been encouraged threw 62.73m on her second attempt have a little piece of my heart,” Ford by his training partner Bolt. of the contest. said in a statement issued by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
After Ford took the job in February last year, Sri Lanka whitewashed their three-Test home series against then world number one Australia.
Under Ford, Sri Lanka also won a triangular series in Zimbabwe also involving West Indies. He had been due to coach them until the next World Cup in 2019.
“He joined us at a time when we were quoted by the ICC as being on the ‘verge of suspension’ and at a time when things were volatile and uncertain,” said SLC chief Thilanga Sumathipala.
“Ford had faith in us and has given us his fullest support. Ford epitomises the character of cricket as a true gentleman, and we are indeed sorry to see him go.”
Ford, who has also coached South Africa, Surrey and Kent, ended his first spell in Sri Lanka in 2014 when his two-year contract expired.