Victoria announce shock resignation of recently appointed WNCL head coach Dulip Samaraweera
Victoria’s women’s head coach Dulip Samaraweera has quit his position less than two weeks after being appointed to the role.
Cricket Victoria released a statement this evening confirming the former Sri Lankan international had resigned and would be replaced by Melbourne Renegades WBBL assistant coach Andrew Christie.
Samaraweera, who played seven Tests and five ODIs in the early 1990s, was only appointed to the role full-time on a two-year deal on May 8 after serving as the side’s interim head coach since the state parted ways with Jarrad Loughman in November last year.
“During the recruitment process Dulip had expressed a desire to make a specific coaching appointment in his support team,” CV CEO Nick Cummins said.
“That appointment was unable to be facilitated due to internal policies we have in place.
“Following further conversations, Dulip decided he would prefer not to remain in the role.”
Samaraweera was a highly regarded specialist batting coach who initially joined Cricket Victoria in 2008.
His replacement, Christie, joined CV in 2021 where he led the Female Emerging Player Program. He was also a previous premiership-winning coach with Dandenong’s women’s Premier Cricket program.
Under Christie, Victoria will be out to continue their resurgence in the Women’s National Cricket League next season after winning seven of their last eight games in 2023-24 to finish third.
The women’s domestic contracting period opened earlier today following an embargo while the details of the new T20 competition featuring ACT Meteors were determined.