Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has expressed surprise and disappointment over the surprise move by national coach Paul Farbrace to consider taking up a coaching position with England cricket team.

 

SLC said in a media release that they have been unable to contact Farbrace who is in England while ECB had communicated to SLC expressing their desire to have Farbrace released from Sri Lanka duties.

 

Following is the full text of SLC Release.

 

SLC has received numerous inquiries from the Media in relation to England and Wales Cricket Board’s interest in recruiting Paul Farbrace as one of their coaches.

 

Unfortunately, Paul Farbrace has not been in communication with SLC on this subject matter at this point of time. Efforts to contact Paul Farbrace, who is currently in England have proved futile.

 

However, ECB has communicated to us their interest in considering Paul Farbrace to be recruited as one of their coaches. SLC have in no uncertain terms expressed it’s surprise and disappointment with regard to this development since Paul is in contract with SLC for a two year term (which includes a six month probation period) ending in December 2015 and particularly because the Sri Lanka national team will be visiting England within the next few weeks. SLC is currently in communication with ECB, but however have informed them that we cannot progress this matter further until Paul Farbrace establishes a dialogue with SLC since our contractual obligations are with the individual.

 

SLC will be closely monitoring the progress of this matter and further developments on this matter will be communicated to the press in due course.

 

 

Meanwhile, ESPNcricinfo reported that Farbrace's contract began on January 1 this year, but he only took charge of the team before their tour of Bangladesh, which began on January 24. SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga told ESPNcricinfo that Farbrace's contract carries an exit-clause, which requires the coach to give the board six months' notice before leaving his position. If that six months' notice is not observed, Farbrace will likely be compelled to give financial compensation for his early departure.

The ESPNcricinfo also said:

In Farbrace's two-and-a-half months with the side, Sri Lanka have won the Asia Cup and the World T20, and lost only one match out of 18, across all formats. Farbrace had not been part of the Sri Lanka team's Colombo reception after the World T20 win, having left the country soon after the team landed.

 

SLC will face a significant crisis if Farbrace takes up the England position, as they have a full international schedule in the four months beginning in May. Following the tour of Ireland and England, Sri Lanka is set to host no.1 Test side South Africa at home in July, before Pakistan's expected arrival for another full tour in August.

 

Sri Lanka have also built methodically towards the 2015 World Cup - an event they feel they have a significant chance of winning, given their ODI form in Australia over the past few years - but they must now contemplate the possibility of arriving at that tournament with a head coach who has been with the team for less than a year.

 

Before Farbrace took over the Sri Lanka job, financial limitations had severely hindered SLC's hunt for a new national coach once Graham Ford announced he would leave the post in January. Sri Lanka's position in world cricket and the board's crippling debt has meant that it is largely only attractive to coaches on the make, instead of the well-established names.

 

Weeks after accepting the role, in February, Farbrace had said he was "excited" to be working with the team, which featured a band of developing young players. He is also believed to have settled well within the side.