Whatmore was speaking at the press conference arranged by the Board of Control for cricket yesterday at the Board Headquarters to explain the events and details regarding the sudden announcement by Whatmore of his new contract with Lancashire.
Whatmore said that the new challenge in front of him is exciting and the amount of cricket that they play and the amount of demands that are placed on a group of players that are different to our group of players at the moment. He said that Lancashire has a very long history of being a good club and the way in which discussions went along, indicated to him that he should be part of it.
Whatmore said that the challenges that lie ahead excited him and has a real feeling of being wanted to do a job that had a specific need that exists at the club at the moment, led him to believe that he could serve a real purpose there as well.
He further said that from his teenage days in Australia, he had a great liking for the country championship games in England and that was another reason why he decided to accept Lancashire's offer to coach them next season.
Speculation
There was widespread speculation here that Whatmore had got fed up with the cricket authorities here about the way he has been treated and that was a reason why he decided to quit the coaching in Sri Lanka.
However, Davenall Whatmore dispelled such fears and said that his dealings with the Cricket Board have always been cordial and his official reason to the Board for quitting read: ''The reasons for my decision are personal and domestic.''
He said that he accepted Lancashire's offer to coach them not for enhanced financial gain, but for the challenges that county side will have to encounter in the coming years.
Whatmore said that the whole thing surfaced only recently _ during the second Test that Sri Lanka played against Zimbabwe and the deal was closed within seven days.
He said that the reason why the announcement was made in Kenya and not in Sri Lanka was because of a 'huge fear that my new employer would have had the news from Internet because if it had been leaked and I had not advised the Cricket Board, it would have looked terrible and I would have felt bad. So, the timing basically was unavoidable,'' he said.
Whatmore said that he was fortunate to receive a set of players who were positive in their approach when he came on to coach them. He said that the support that he got from the players indicates really the reasons why Sri Lanka have been able to have the successes and as a coach, the positive response he got from the players was a warm feeling that he relished.
He further said that he felt nothing but comfortable about the group of players he had been involved with right from the beginning to the recent four-nation tourney in Kenya.
Important thing
He said that the important thing is for the team to go on the same class that they have shown in the year or year and a half that they have shown. 'Personally I would love to see that the team is made of wonderful players who have a long career ahead of them, and personally even while I am away physically and geographically, I would help in any way possible to further that cause.''
Whatmore said the players have gained successes in the last year and a half and that mission statement of being the best Test playing nation in the year 2000 and the way things are going, the Sri Lankans are on the correct path.
Davenall Whatmore's contract with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board expires only on May 31st next year, but he has written to the Board seeking an early release. His contract with Lancashire is to take effect on February 1 next year.