*COLOMBO:* Former Pakistan legspinner Mushtaq Ahmed is likely to beselected as foreign team bowling coach.

He is among those being considered by Sri Lanka Cricket for the position ofspin bowling coach. Mushtaq, who has expressed interest in the position,has previously worked with England and Pakistan. The board is also on thehunt for a new fielding coach, *reported *link>Cricinfo.

The search for new staff coincides with the exit of Nic Pothas – who wasSri Lanka’s interim head coach for roughly half of 2017 – two months beforehis contract expires. A Sri Lanka cricket official confirmed that the boardhad let Pothas go on good terms and that it would seek to appoint the twonew coaches within the next two months.

Pothas’ decision to quit early is understood to have been partiallyprompted by his disappointment with the scope of his role. Although he hadbeen a contender for Sri Lanka’s permanent head coach position in Augustlast year when he had been publicly endorsed for that role by Sri Lanka’scricket manager Asanka Gurusinha, Pothas was not required by the nationalside after Chandika Hathurusingha – a coach of much greater renown – washired. Pothas had been working as a general fielding coach since beingrelieved of the interim position. SLC officials expect him to take up aposition in England.

Appointed interim coach following the exit of Graham Ford in June lastyear, Pothas’ six months at the helm was largely characterised by poorresults, substantial upheaval and pressure from SLC administrators, thoughthere was also the historic Test series victory against Pakistan in the UAElast year.