Former Sri Lanka player Mahela Jayawardene is set to coach the Southampton-based team for the upcoming new 100-ball format tournament -- The Hundred.
Jayawardena said that this is an innovative and exciting tournament and it is his 'great privilege' to coach Southampton-based team.
"The Hundred is an innovative and exciting new tournament and it is a great privilege to be Head Coach of the Southampton-based team. I've played international and county cricket at Southampton. It's a great place and I'm looking forward to going back," The Hundred's official website quoted Jayawardeneas saying.
Former New Zealand bowler Shane Bond will be an assistant coach at Southampton.
Jayawardene said that he is delighted to be working alongside Shane Bond.
"I am delighted to be working alongside Shane Bond and some of the talented young coaches from both Sussex and Hampshire," he said.
"I think The Hundred will interest the world's best players because England is a great place to play cricket. The structure of the tournament is good and that means most of the guys will put their name in the hat because this is a tournament that excites them," Jayawardene added.
The director of women's cricket at Hampshire Charlotte Edwards will coach the franchise's women's team.
Expressing her excitement, Edwards said: "I am really excited to be part of The Hundred. It's my first Head Coach role and I think it's the right time. I feel like I've learned a lot from coaching overseas and working with the Southern Vipers. It's my time to have a go and see what I can do."
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in February this year confirmed that the first-class counties of England and Wales agreed to a 100-ball format competition, called The Hundred.
Scheduled for 2020, the tournament will see eight new city-based teams competing over a five-week period.
The new white-ball cricket is a 100-ball per inning format. In the matches, a change of end will take place after ten balls and bowlers can deliver either five or ten consecutive balls. Each bowler can deliver a maximum of 20 balls per game and each bowling side gets a strategic timeout of up to two and a half minutes.
Moreover, The Hundred will have a 25-ball powerplay start for each team and two fielders are allowed outside of the initial 30-yard circle during the powerplay. These playing conditions have been recommended by ECB's Cricket Committee.
( With inputs from ANI )
