Colombo: Sri Lankan cricket authorities Wednesday suspended head coach Chandika Hathurusingha and appointed a temporary replacement for the upcoming New Zealand series. Cricket board chairman Shammi Silva said former Sri Lanka fast bowler Rumesh Ratnayake was made interim coach pending a final decision on the status of Hathurusingha. "Hathurusingha will not be involved in this (New Zealand) series," Silva told reporters in Colombo. "We can't tell you details because this might end up being a legal issue." Sports Minister Harin Fernando said this month that Hathurusingha would be given until the start of Sri Lanka's home Test series against New Zealand, which begins on August 14, to quit and make way for a new coach.

"If Hathurusingha does not leave, we may have to consider legal action or offer him a different job at the board," Fernando said at the time. Following Sri Lanka's disappointing World Cup, where they finished in sixth-place, Hathurusingha and his assistants were expected to be shown the door. There was no immediate comment from Hathurusingha who had earlier said he wanted to continue in the post till his contract runs out in 16 months. Fernando was critical of a reported $40,000 monthly salary paid to Hathurusingha and said Sri Lanka could have hired a foreign coach at half the price.