Former Sri Lanka batsman Dalip Samaraweera was associated with women’s coaching in Australia.Image credit source: Scott Barbour/Getty Images
Action has been taken again against a Sri Lankan coach who was already facing a lengthy ban for misbehaving with a player. Cricket Australia has taken this action against former Sri Lankan cricketer Dalip Samaraweera, who has been involved in coaching women’s cricket in Australia for the past few years. Dalip Samaraweera, former coach of the Cricket Victoria women’s team, has reportedly been found guilty of inappropriate behavior with another player, following which he has been banned for 10 years. This ban has been imposed by Cricket Australia, according to which he will not be able to be involved as a coach in Australia in any capacity. Also earlier, Samaraweera had been banned for 20 years after being found guilty in a similar case involving a female cricketer.
A 20-year ban has already been imposed.
According to the ESPN-Cricinfo report, this is the second case of Samaraweera, who played 7 Test matches for Sri Lanka in the 1990s, being a player’s personal coach. Although during this period he was associated only with Victoria Cricket. What is surprising is that Samaraweera denied these allegations but refused to participate in the investigation. In such a situation, Cricket Australia has suspended him for 10 years for violation of code of conduct. Although their ban will not be separated for 20 years, both bans will apply together. Thus, he will not be able to take part in any type of cricket training in Australia until 2044.
Samaraweera, 52, was first banned in September this year when he was accused of misbehaving with a player. He was later found guilty in the investigation by Cricket Australia’s Code of Conduct Commission. His behavior was described as highly reprehensible and he was suspended for 20 years. Although, two weeks before this ban, he had resigned as coach of the Victoria Cricket Team, the reason was different. He wanted to add his brother Thilan Samaraweera to the coaching staff, but due to a conflict of interest he was not allowed to do so, after which he resigned.
Cricket career didn’t work out
Dalip Samaraweera played 7 matches for Sri Lanka between 1993 and 1995, but he did not have much success and could only score 211 runs. Apart from this, he scored 91 runs in 5 ODI matches. Duleep’s brother Thilan Samaraweera definitely had a lot of success in international cricket. The younger brother, Thilan, played 81 Test matches for Sri Lanka and scored 5462 runs, in which he averaged 48 and also scored 14 centuries, while scoring 30 half-centuries.
