Mahela not worried about Farbrace switch

Cricket365
April 30, 2014

Sri Lanka veteran batsman Mahela Jayawardene has played down the importance of former coach Paul Farbrace's move to a new job as England's assistant coach, just days before their series against each other begins.

Farbrace left his post with Sri Lanka after just three months, in order to become new head coach Peter Moores' second in command, leaving some in Sri Lanka very disgruntled. But Jayawardene hardly thinks Farbrace has any big secrets to share with England.

Jayawardene told the Daily Mirror: "I don't think Paul going to England will affect us that much. All the teams know how we play. We just have to adapt to the conditions and keep challenging ourselves to do well. I honestly don't think that's going to affect us."

The former skipper also said that while Farbrace oversaw 18 games with only one defeat, and the winning of the Asia Cup and the World Twenty20, the groundwork had been done long before him, so his loss wasn't as big as everyone made out.

He added: "The team had been together for a long time and we became the number one team (in T20 cricket) before Paul came along. So it's been a gradual process. We worked with Graham (Ford) for two years and things were in place. Personnel and individual players chosen and all that.

"Paul is great guy, he is a good coach. He gives a lot of confidence to the players. That's what he brought to the table. It helped us. There were things in place for some time and the team gradually worked their way through to the World Cup (Twenty20).

"As players this is something we can't control obviously. It is disappointing on both sides because we would've loved to have him. But he had made a decision. I think we just need to move on like we've always done as a team."

Farbrace's exit meant Sri Lanka lost some valuable insight into English conditions, and they thus hired former Surrey coach Chris Adams to be a consultant on the tour. Mahela feels this will be more than enough to see then through.

He said: "We've got Marvan (Atapattu) and the coaches who have been with us for the last two-three years. So there is continuity, which is great. He (Adams) will be a good addition to us – just to get insight of how the wickets are playing, how the conditions are, and for us to keep someone in our corner.

"Preparations have been very good. The practices we've had have been very well organised and a lot of input and practice done with purpose, looking at the conditions in England. Very proactive sessions. I enjoyed that very much."