DHAKA: Bangladesh’s Australian coach Shane Jurgensen will resign in June, apparently because he is upset at media speculation that he may be sacked, the country’s cricket board said yesterday.
“We have received a letter from Jurgensen that he will not continue as coach after the home series against India in June,” said Bangladesh Cricket Board spokesman Jalal Yunus.
“He did not give any reason but we assume he is upset with recent media speculation about his position.”
Yunus said Jurgensen’s resignation had not yet been accepted because “it is an emotional decision and we are prepared to talk to him about it”.
Jurgensen, 38, was not available to comment on his resignation.
The former first-class cricketer from Queensland was appointed full-time coach in February last year with a mandate to build the team for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Bangladesh have endured a miserable start in 2014 despite playing the entire season on home soil.
They lost the Test, one-day and Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka, were beaten by Afghanistan in the Asia Cup and lost to minnows Hong Kong in the World Twenty20.
Bangladesh have said they will host India for three one-day internationals in June, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India has not yet confirmed the series.
Meanwhile, Kumar Sangakkara will warm up for Sri Lanka’s forthcoming tour of England by appearing in the next two rounds of County Championship matches for title-holders Durham.
One of the outstanding batsmen of his generation and ninth on the list of all-time leading Test run-scorers with 11,151 at an average of nearly 59, Sangakkara is set to play for Durham in their four-day games with Yorkshire and Sussex next month.
“I’m really looking forward to returning to county cricket with Durham and I’m immensely grateful for the opportunity”,” Sangakkara said in a statement.
“I actually made my debut for Warwickshire against Durham back in 2007 -- I scored a few runs that day so I’m hoping to make amends this time around.”
Agencies
