Singapore appoints Atapattu as national coach

Singapore Cricket Association (SCA) has named Marvan Atapattu as its national coach for the current year beginning with the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 5 event in Nepal next month, where six teams will compete for a place to be the top two to advance to Division 4.

The former Sri Lanka skipper said on SCA website: "I am looking forward to doing everything possible to help Singapore cricket. It is a challenge that can be realised by the efforts from both the players and the coach. I have seen some of the players at practice sessions and I must say I am impressed with the quality of some of these players."

On his appointment, SCA Deputy President, Mahmood Gaznavi, said: "We have been looking around for a suitable person to help us move our cricket forward, and Atapattu is definitely one who has the experience to push the team in the right direction."

Singapore hosted Pepsi ICC WCL Division 6 in September 2009 and defeated Bahrain in the final to win the event. In Nepal, it will face the hosts, Bahrain, Fiji, Jersey and the United States of America.

"We have a realistic chance of doing well in Nepal," said skipper Munish Arora. "With proper application and commitment, Singapore can take on any of the other teams in Division 5. Atapattu?s engagement will be useful."

The full squad for WCL Division 5 is:

Munish Arora (captain), Buddhika Mendis (vice-captain), Narendar Reddy, Anish Edward Param, Riaz Altaff Hussien, Chetan Suryawanshi, Chandrasekar Venkadaramani, Mohd Shoib Razak, Jackie Manoj Kumar, Dharmichand Mulewa, Pramodh Raja, Saad Khan Janjua, Arun Vijayan and Mohd Omar Mizran.