Rumesh Joseph Ratnayake (born January 2, 1964, in Colombo), is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who played in 23 Tests and 70 ODIs from 1982 to 1993. He is the current fast bowling coach of Sri Lanka national cricket team.
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| Full name | Rumesh Joseph Ratnayake | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 2 January 1964 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-hand bat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm fast-medium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler, Coach | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 21) | 4 March 1983 v New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 2 January 1992 v Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 28) | 26 September 1982 v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 1 December 1993 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 3 March 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
During a career often blighted by injury, Ratnayake was a strapping right arm fast-medium bowler who was capable of swinging the new ball and generating considerable pace and bounce. He was also a more than useful hard-hitting lower order batsman, as Test match fifties against Pakistan and England testify.
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International career
One of his best performances came in the 1985/86 series against India, taking 20 wickets at 22 for the series. In the 2nd Test he managed 9 wickets in the match which gave Sri Lanka a rare Test win, and inaugural series victory. Other good hauls include 6 for 66 against Australia at Hobart in 1990/91 and 5 for 69 against England at Lord's.
After retirement
In July 2001 Ratnayake became the administrative team manager for the Sri Lankan national cricket team.
In 2003 Ratnayake was a development officer for the Asian Cricket Council and was a coach and selector for the Asian Dream Team, a composite team of lesser Asian cricketing nations that played 6 matches in Sri Lanka that year.
Ratnayake was in May 2007 linked with the Sri Lankan national cricket team assistant coaching job with some saying he had been given the interim coaching job. Ultimately it was the deputy's job that he was offered, and later declined in June 2007.:
He has also recently offered his skills advising cricket hopefuls in Canada[8]
In August 2011, he became the head coach of Sri Lankan national team.[9] In 8 August 2017, after Champaka Ramanayake resigned, Ratnayake was again appointed as the fast bowling coach of the national team.[10][11]
International record
Test 5 Wicket hauls
| # | Figures | Match | Opponent | Venue | City | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6/85 | 5 |  India |
Sinhalese Sports Club Ground | Colombo | Sri Lanka | 1985 |
| 2 | 5/49 | 6 | India |
P Sara Oval | Colombo | Sri Lanka | 1985 |
| 3 | 6/66 | 15 |  Australia |
Bellerive Oval | Hobart | Australia | 1989 |
| 4 | 5/77 | 18 |