Tara Murray
Darley’s Dilan Chandima was always keen on coaching when his playing days were over, but has been given an opportunity much earlier than expected.
One of the premier players of the Ballarat Cricket Association, Chandima was last week named as the Lions new coach.
Chandima said he was excited by the opportunity at Darley.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
“For me in the bigger picture I felt like at the end of my career I would be a coach, but not while I’m playing.
“I didn’t expect to be a coach now, but it’s something that I always expected to do.”
Chandima isn’t completely new to coaching. He has done some assistant coaching in Australia, but coached back in Sri Lanka before he moved to Australia.
Chandima said Darley was a really good club and he loved being a part of it.
“I’ve been with Darley for a couple of years and the people are really nice,” he said. “They are a big club, a premiership club, that’s a big thing for me.”
He replaces premiership coach Brian Wheelahan, who decided to stand down after last season.
Chandima said he would take on some of the things that he had learned under Wheelahan.
“He was an amazing coach,” he said.
“The way he talks to people and managing people. I’ll take some of the things I’ve learned and I’ll add my own experience from overseas and playing with ex-national players.
“I’ll bring that into a local club.”
Chandima and the playing group are keen to rebound after a disappointing end to the 2022-23 season.
After three straight grand final appearances, the side was knocked out in the semi finals last year.
“We were pretty dominant throughout the year, but something happened the last couple of games.
“We want to correct our mistakes and I want to be a Darley premiership winning coach.
“We’ll work on a few different things the next couple of weeks and should have finalised things heading into the season.”
Chandima said one thing he was looking forward to was working with the young talent within the club.
He said he would look to do some one-on-one work with the players coming through to help them improve.
He is also excited that the club is set to have access to the club rooms, which have been upgraded the last couple of years.
Marcus Ingvorsen has been appointed assistant coach and chairman of selectors, while Ben Longhurst has been appointed assistant coach and director of cricket.
