Former Australian all-rounder Cameron White will join the New South Wales Blues for the remainder of the 2022-23 domestic summer following the departure of Sri Lankan Chandika Hathurusingha.
Hathurusingha has left his position as an assistant coach in the New South Wales and Sydney Thunder set-up to take up a role with Bangladesh, where he will return for a second spell as head coach.
He was formerly the most successful Bangladesh head coach in history, with the now 54-year-old serving between 2014 and 2017. The nation won ODI series for the first time against Pakistan, India and South Africa during the period, while also reaching the knockout stages of the ODI World Cup. They also beat England, Australia and Sri Lanka in Test cricket.
Hathurusingha will join Bangladesh next month, while White, who has been working with the Sydney Sixers (who are now just a single game away from the BBL grand final) will take over his role in the domestic set-up under interim coach Greg Shipperd.
Shipperd took over from Phil Jacques in the middle of the first block of matches for the season after a disastrous start for the Blues at both Sheffield Shield and One-Day cup level.
As it stands, New South Wales have won no games from six in the Sheffield Shield, and just one from five in the one-day cup, leaving the state unlikely to qualify for the final of either competition in what could be the worst summer in recent history for the Blues.
โChandi has made a wonderful contribution to Cricket NSW, the Blues and Sydney Thunder over the last couple of years and we are sad to see him go,โ head of elite male NSW Cricket Michael Klinger said in a statement.
โBut with that in mind we totally understand his desire to seek a coaching role internationally and we wish him all the best in the next chapter of his coaching career.โ
White, now 39-year-old, played 4 Tests and 91 ODIs for Australia in an international career which spanned from 2005 to 2018.
He averaged 39 with the bat and 41 with the ball in 177 first class games, but it was ODI cricket where he shone, averaging almost 34 with the bat and under 30 with the ball.
The Blues will return to domestic duties on Saturday, February 11 when they host Tasmania in a Sheffield Shield clash at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
