COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka fired Geoff Marsh as the national team’s cricket coach on Wednesday only three months into his two-year contract, replacing him with former South Africa coach Graham Ford.
Sri Lanka recently lost a test and one-day series in South Africa, and the coaching change appears to be part of a general overhaul with Tillakaratne Dilshan standing down as captain following a winless test series run.
Dilshan lost test series as captain to England, Australia, Pakistan and South Africa, however he led the team to its first test match victory in South Africa last month.
Mahela Jayawardene has been reappointed captain after nearly five years, while a selection committee headed by former Sri Lanka test fast bowler Ashantha de Mel has already taken over from the panel led by Duleep Mendis.
Sri Lanka Cricket hasn’t explained why it sacked Marsh, who had been in charge for only two test series and held a contract though till September 2013.
SLC added Ford to the support staff list for an upcoming triangular series in Australia which also involves India. Ford played only seven first-class matches during an eight-year playing career, but he rose quickly through the ranks to coach South Africa.
