Trevor Bayliss of Australia has been named coach of Sri Lanka, officials told AFP on Thursday. "Bayliss has been appointed for a two-year period starting on August 1," Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) spokesman Samantha Algama said.
Bayliss, 44, who currently coaches New South Wales, replaces another Australian Tom Moody, who quit last month to work with his home state of Western Australia. Bayliss was picked over fellow Australian Terry Oliver, the Queensland coach, after being interviewed by SLC's selection panel here on Thursday.
He played 58 first-class matches for New South Wales as a middle-order batsman from 1985 to 1993 before making his mark as the state coach when he took over from Steve Rixon during the 2004-05 season. Bayliss had told the Sydney Morning Herald last week he would take up the Sri Lanka job if it was offered to him after rejecting overtures from Bangladesh and Australia's Centre of Excellence.
"It's a job with an international team, and one of the better international teams, so you'd be nuts not to hear them out," Bayliss was quoted as saying by the paper. "And if something was offered, you'd be silly to knock it back. I spoke to Tom (Moody) about a week ago just to find out what I can expect in the interview."
Sri Lanka made it to the final of the recent World Cup in the Caribbean where they lost to Australia. Trevor Penney, who was Moody's assistant and will join him at Western Australia after his term ends on July 31, will coach Sri Lanka during the upcoming home series against Bangladesh.
Bayliss' appointment fills the first vacancy for coaches in all four Asian Test nations. India are still looking for a coach after South African Graham Ford rejected an offer to succeed former Australian captain Greg Chappell, who quit after the World Cup. Pakistan's Bob Woolmer died during the World Cup and Dav Whatmore did not renew his contract with Bangladesh in April.
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