Australian Marsh keen to extend Sri Lanka stay

COLOMBO, Sept 29 (Reuters) : Australian Geoff Marsh said he was keen to extend his two-year contract as Sri Lanka coach after taking over the job on Thursday.

"If Sri Lanka Cricket wants me to extend my contract till the 2015 World Cup its open from my end for discussions," Marsh told reporters.

Sri Lanka’s newly appointed national team cricket coach Geoffry Marsh waits to leave after speaking to reporters during at the end of a news conference in Colombo 29 September, 2011. Marsh will start his duty with Sri Lanka team ahead of Pakistan tour. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Marsh succeeded another Australian, Trevor Bayliss, who retired after this year's World Cup in April after coaching the Sri Lanka team for four years.

"At the moment it's a two-year contract and we haven't talked about the finish yet. Hopefully, the World Cup is something that I love to be through having won two (as a player and as a coach), but my immediate focus is preparing the team for the next test match which is against Pakistan next month," said Marsh.

Marsh, 52, was a member of the Australian side who won the 1987 World Cup and he coached Australia when they won the tournament again in 1999.

Marsh said he would treat all three formats of the game with equal respect.

"We've got to basically sit down and plan for test cricket, ODI cricket and T20 cricket, we won't favour one," said Marsh.

"Obviously the World Twenty20 is important but the most important game we play next is the first test against Pakistan, that's exactly what we will be targeting," he said.

Sri Lanka will host the ICC World Twenty20 in September 2012.

"What I've learnt from coaching all players is that everyone's an individual," he said. "They are not robots and every player is different."