<div align="justify">Sri Lanka's cricket coach Graham Ford has quit, officials said Saturday, midway through a 45-month contract and just two weeks after the team's early exit from the Champions Trophy.<br /><br />Sri Lanka's cricket board said the 56-year-old South African was ending his second stint with the team after a "decision arrived at mutually."<br /><br />No immediate replacement was announced. Sri Lanka will play a home series of five ODI matches and one Test against Zimbabwe from the end of this month.<br /><br />Ford, who was previously with Sri Lanka from 2012 to 2014, had said he faced a huge rebuilding task when he returned to the team in February last year, when the islanders had dropped down the rankings.<br /><br />Sri Lanka failed to reach the semi-finals of this month's eight-team Champions Trophy in England, and there have been recriminations with the country's sports minister accusing the players of being too fat.<br /><br />"Sri Lanka has grown on me, and although we've made the decision to part ways where coaching is concerned, she will always have a little piece of my heart," Ford said in a statement issued by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).<br /><br />After Ford took the job in February last year, Sri Lanka whitewashed their three-Test home series against then world number one Australia.<br /><br />Under Ford, Sri Lanka also won a triangular series in Zimbabwe also involving West Indies. He had been due to coach them until the next World Cup in 2019.<br /><br />"He joined us at a time when we were quoted by the ICC as being on the 'verge of suspension' and at a time when things were volatile and uncertain," said SLC chief Thilanga Sumathipala.<br /><br />"Ford had faith in us and has given us his fullest support. Ford epitomises the character of cricket as a true gentleman, and we are indeed sorry to see him go."<br /><br />Ford, who has also coached South Africa, Surrey and Kent, ended his first spell in Sri Lanka in 2014 when his two-year contract expired.</div>
<div align="justify">Sri Lanka's cricket coach Graham Ford has quit, officials said Saturday, midway through a 45-month contract and just two weeks after the team's early exit from the Champions Trophy.<br /><br />Sri Lanka's cricket board said the 56-year-old South African was ending his second stint with the team after a "decision arrived at mutually."<br /><br />No immediate replacement was announced. Sri Lanka will play a home series of five ODI matches and one Test against Zimbabwe from the end of this month.<br /><br />Ford, who was previously with Sri Lanka from 2012 to 2014, had said he faced a huge rebuilding task when he returned to the team in February last year, when the islanders had dropped down the rankings.<br /><br />Sri Lanka failed to reach the semi-finals of this month's eight-team Champions Trophy in England, and there have been recriminations with the country's sports minister accusing the players of being too fat.<br /><br />"Sri Lanka has grown on me, and although we've made the decision to part ways where coaching is concerned, she will always have a little piece of my heart," Ford said in a statement issued by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).<br /><br />After Ford took the job in February last year, Sri Lanka whitewashed their three-Test home series against then world number one Australia.<br /><br />Under Ford, Sri Lanka also won a triangular series in Zimbabwe also involving West Indies. He had been due to coach them until the next World Cup in 2019.<br /><br />"He joined us at a time when we were quoted by the ICC as being on the 'verge of suspension' and at a time when things were volatile and uncertain," said SLC chief Thilanga Sumathipala.<br /><br />"Ford had faith in us and has given us his fullest support. Ford epitomises the character of cricket as a true gentleman, and we are indeed sorry to see him go."<br /><br />Ford, who has also coached South Africa, Surrey and Kent, ended his first spell in Sri Lanka in 2014 when his two-year contract expired.</div>