Sri Lanka September 12; Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford has told Sri Lanka Cricket he does not wish to renew his contract when it expires in January, an SLC statement has said. Ford came aboard for two years after Geoff Marsh was sacked in January 2012, and unless SLC convince him to stay, Sri Lanka’s tour in the UAE from December will be his last with the team.
“Mr. Graham Ford has intimated that he would like to be released from his duties at the end of his contract due to his family commitments,” the release said. “Sri Lanka Cricket intends to discuss this matter with him further and obtain his thoughts and take the process forward.”
Ford has been linked to the vacant coaching position at Surrey, which is expected to be filled over the English winter. Ford had said in August that he has already been informally approached by Surrey’s CEO regarding the position, but that he would not consider it until after his contractual obligations to the Sri Lanka team were fulfilled.
Ford has strong ties with Kevin Pietersen, who plays for Surrey, and was the man the latter endorsed to take over the England coaching job after Pietersen’s turmoil with Peter Moores ended with Moores’ sacking in 2009. A move to Surrey will also strengthen the county’s South African connection, with Graeme Smith having signed on as captain until 2015.
Sri Lanka won their first Test series in almost three years (against Pakistan), and progressed to the final of the World Twenty20 during Ford’s tenure, but were also whitewashed 3-0 in a Test series in Australia.
