COLOMBO: Struggling Sri Lanka on Saturday announced the appointment of former Australian cricketer Steve Rixon as their fielding coach, in a bid to boost preparations for next year’s World Cup.

The 64-year-old will begin his new assignment later this month and join the team in New Zealand where, starting on Dec 15, Sri Lanka are scheduled to play two Tests, three ODIs and one Twenty20.

They will later play two Tests in Australia from Jan 24.

“We are happy to welcome Steve into the team,” Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva said. “I am sure he will be able to help the team moving forward, with his expertise in the area of fielding which is a vital component of the game.”

De Silva said Rixon will work with the national team until the end of the 2019 World Cup.

Sri Lanka have been struggling for form rece­ntly, losing the home ODI and Test series to England.

They have also been hit by crisis off the field.

Bowling coach Nuwan Zoysa was suspended by the International Cricket Council in October after he was accused of match-fixing and other “corrupt conduct”.

Earlier that month, ex-chief selector and former captain Sanath Jayasuriya was charged for failing to cooperate with a match-fixing probe and concealing information.

The country recently sought help from neighbouring India to draft laws to combat cheating in the game.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2018