Vaas finally agreed to a two-year contract after weeks of negotiations

After weeks of negotiations, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have finally convinced former left-arm pace bowler Chaminda Vaas to become the national team’s fast bowling coach for the next two years.

Legendary Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has also climbed aboard, joining the coaching staff in an advisory capacity, but has already started working on developing the technique of the spinners in the side.

Vaas had expressed interest in the position when SLC approached him in January, but he had been hesitant to take up the post after learning what his salary would be.

“We concluded successful negotiations with Vaas, where we discussed things like pay and his role in the coaching unit,” SLC chief executive Ajit Jayasekara said. “He will be the head fast bowling coach, with the present coaches Champaka Ramanayake and Anusha Samaranayake working under him. He has taken so many wickets for Sri Lanka, and we are very happy to have concluded our talks to get him into the job. Vaas will also oversee the country’s pace bowling academies.”

SLC were also hoping to sign Muralitharan to a full-time contract, but since the spinner still plays in various domestic Twenty2o leagues around the world, he decided to stay on a temporary basis.

Muralitharan is currently the game’s most successful bowler in both Tests and ODIs, with 800 and 534 wickets respectively.

Vaas is Sri Lanka’s all-time leading pace bowler with 355 Test wickets and 400 ODI wickets.

SLC also appointed Michael de Zoysa as the new team manager on a one-year contract after Charith Senanayake resigned due to his deteriorating relationship with the board and some of the players.