Former South African batter Neil McKenzie has been appointed as the consultant coach for the Sri Lankan cricket team ahead of their two-match Test series against South Africa starting from November 27 onwards. The former right-handed batter shall join the visiting team between November 13 and 21, as confirmed by Sri Lanka Cricket, ahead of the first Test in Durban. The series will feature two Tests and will be important for both side’s ICC World Test Championship final chances. Mckenzie, who played 58 Test matches between 2000 and 2009, racked up over 3,253 runs for South Africa, with five centuries and 16 fifties. He also aggregated nearly 20,000 runs in first-class cricket.

Famously, he is one-half of the highest-ever opening partnership in Test history, sharing a 415-run stand with Graeme Smith against Bangladesh in 2008, as per ICC.

Speaking on his appointment, CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket Ashley De Silva said, “McKenzie will bring in vital, in-depth insights about the South African conditions to help Sri Lankan players adapt to the challenge.”

Since calling it quits from international cricket in 2009, the 48-year-old has been part of multiple dressing rooms as a coach.

Last year, McKenzie was South Africa’s batting consultant for the ICC World Test Championship series against the West Indies. Earlier this year, he was part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore setup in the Indian Premier League as a batting coach.

Sri Lanka will be banking on the former Proteas batter for valuable insights for what is their final away Test series in the ongoing WTC cycle.

Placed third and fifth respectively in the points table, both Sri Lanka and South Africa are in contention for a spot in next year’s WTC Final.

The first Test match between the two nations is scheduled for November 27 at Kingsmead, after which the caravan shifts to St. George’s Oval in Port Elizabeth.

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