After Ranatunga, Yardley mange some more

Yardley, who said he was sacked after trying to have Ranatunga replaced as captain, said the former captain and deputy De Silva should take much of the blame for Sri Lanka’s dismal World Cup performance this year.

Ranatunga has been replaced as leader by dashing batsman Sanath Jayasuriya. “While I was there I recommended (Sanath) Jayasuriya be captain,” the former Australian spinner said. “That pretty well ended my career. He was quite happy with me until I challenged him.”

“Arjuna had to go and I always thought Jayasuriya would make a wonderful captain because he has agreat passion for his country and the players like him.”

Yardley said there was still enough talent in Sri Lanka for the country to rise again, but it needed a clean break from the Ranatunga and de Silva regime.

“If they retain both Ranatunga and Aravinda as players, nothing much will change,” Yardley said. “They (selectors) and the cricket board now have to have the courage to make the big change — they have appointed a new captain and say to the others, thanks. Enough is enough.”

Yardley took over as coach when fellow Australian Dav Whatmore, who was at the helm during the 1996 World Cup campaign, stood down after his own dispute with Ranatunga.

He was surprised when he arrived in Sri Lanka to see the way Ranatunga and de Silva treated their teammates. “Ranatunga and de Silva are from the old school — where the players are their servants,” Yardley said.

“That was still happening when I got there and I was trying to change it. The players had enough, I remember telling one player it wastime he asked Aravinda to carry his own sound machine around on tour.”

“He said it would be the end of his career — that is what it was like.”