Marsh appointed Sri Lanka coach

Geoff Marsh was coach of Zimbabwe between 2000 and 2004 [GALLO/GETTY]

Former Australian batsman Geoff Marsh has been named Sri Lanka’s coach on a two-year contract, the country’s cricket board said on Friday.

“He (Marsh) takes up his new assignment on September 27,” Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement.

“With his vast coaching and playing experience at the highest level, Sri Lanka Cricket is confident that he would be an ideal choice.”

The former Australian opener, 52, scored 2,854 runs in 50 Tests and 4,357 in 117 one-dayers before he quit international cricket in 1992.

“With his vast coaching and playing experience at the highest level, Sri Lanka Cricket is confident that he would be an ideal choice” Sri Lanka cricket statement

Sri Lanka have been without a regular coach since Australian Trevor Bayliss stepped down after guiding the team to the World Cup final in April.

Sri Lanka appointed Stuart Law as an interim coach for the England tour and then former paceman Rumesh Ratnayake for the recent home series against Australia. Law quit in July to coach Bangladesh.

Marsh, part of the 1987 World Cup-winning squad, coached Australia from 1995 to 1999 and then Zimbabwe between 2000 and 2004.

He became the only cricketer to win the World Cup as player and coach when he guided Australia to victory in the 1999 edition.

Marsh is the current coach of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Pune Warriors and it is not immediately clear whether he will continue with his IPL job.