Melbourne Cricket Coaching (MCC) today announced the appointment of
Malinga Bandara is a former Sri Lankan professional cricketer, who played all formats. Bandara made his ODI debut against New Zealand in January 2006 at Wellington and was highly successful in the tournament, taking fourteen wickets at an average of 23.92, a strike rate of 29.2, and an economy rate of 4.90, bettering his more famous spin twin Muttiah Muralitharan. He took his best bowling figures of 4 for 31 against South Africa in the final VB Series round robin match at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart, on 7 February 2006. This performance ensured Sri Lanka’s place in the finals against Australia.
Kaushal Lokuarachchi is a former Sri Lankan cricketer, who played all formats. He is a right-handed batsman and a leg break bowler. Having made an exceptional start to his career as an allrounder when he was a schoolboy, Lokuarachchi was made part of the Sri Lankan squad after the 2003 Cricket World Cup. His ODI debut ensued under Sanath Jayasuriya’s leadership against Kenya in April 2003 at Sharjah where he took a wicket in his first ball of ODI career. In First class cricket, ‘Lokku’ has pocketed 370 wickets in 139 games with eight 5 wicket hauls.
Kaushalya Weeraratne is a former Sri Lankan cricketer, who played limited over cricket. A hard hitter of the ball, Weeraratne is a left-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler. A right-arm medium-pacer whose stock delivery is the out-swinger Kaushalya Weeraratne was earmarked early as an all-rounder for the future. He was part of the Sri Lankan under-19 World Cup squad in 2000 and his 12 wickets at an average of 13 apiece help fast track his progress to the senior team. Weeraratne made his ODI debut in the Asia Cup in 2000. He holds the record for the fastest ever List A 50, beating Adam Hollioake’s record by 3 runs in a 12 ball effort. His innings for Ragama included an over that went for 34 runs with 5 successive 6’s. He has also played for Sultans of Sylhet in Bangladesh’s NCL T20 Bangladesh.