Sri Lanka’s new Head Coach, England born Chris Silverwood is dead pan that the Lankan batsmen must play attacking and smart cricket drawn from the inherent Sri Lankan flair of expressing themselves. It was the way forward to plugging the weak link in the batting in aiming for big scores. But that did not mean batting recklessly, but sensibly which was no rocket science.
Since taking over the job a month ago, the 6ft, 1 inch 47-year old former England coach was addressing his main concern in the Sri Lankan team which he identified as the weak link in the batting.
Emphasising that the name of the game was all about scoring big runs particularly in the first innings, Silverwood said, “”I’ll try and instill some confidence into the boys so they can go out there and construct their innings and score big runs, certainly in the first innings, and give us something to bowl at.”
Infusing such a positive attitude to the batting world be a plus factor to bringing down the dot balls and upping the strike rates. The new Lankan coach will front his first assignment for the Two-Test series in Bangladesh starting later this month.
” I do want them to be positive, I want them to be brave. But that That does not mean that we have to be reckless, ” he aired.
In the fast bowling lane, Silverwood’s message to the Sri Lankan bowlers was to maintain sustained hostility. “Importantly, the fast bowlers must generate the heat early on to put batsmen under pressure.”
“I’ve specifically challenged the test bowlers to be hot on their first 12 balls, because the first 12 balls have a real impact on your spell as well as putting pressure back on the batters,” he emphasised.”
Born Christopher Eric Wilfred Silverwood on March 05, 1975 in Pontefract, Yorkshire, his 6-match Test career and 7-match ODI career for England was not of big things, but he went on to build a name as a successful coach tutoring Essex to their maiden Championship title in 25 years. It was to earn him recognition to being appointed England bowling coach in late 2017. His strong point was daring his charges to dream big. Educated at Garforth Comprehensve School, Silverwood, a right-arm fast bowler, made his debut for Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 1993 which he represented for 13 years. He formed a battery of fast bowlers Yorkshire produced in the late 1990s. During his tenure, Yorkshire won the County Championship in 2001 and the C&G Friends Provident Trophy in 2002. Former England bowling coach Bob Cottam hailed Silverwood described him to be faster than Allan Donald.
He joined the England coaching team as full-time fast bowling coach in January 2018. His cricket career reached its zenith when went on to become the new head coach on 7 October 2019, following the departure of Trevor Bayliss at the end of the 2019 season, and being appointed chairman of selectors in April 2021, which combined both his roles.
