Allegations of unprofessional conduct of coach Geoff Marsh:

Sports Minister orders SLC investigation

DINESH WEERAWANSA

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has called for an immediate investigation into the alleged unprofessional conduct of Sri Lanka coach, Geoff Marsh during the Sri Lankan team’s disastrous series against Pakistan in the UAE recently.

Following our exclusive disclosure of the unprofessional conduct and conflict of interest of Marsh in the ‘Daily News’ yesterday, the Sports Minister took prompt action by directing Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to make an immediate investigation and file a report shortly.

Minister Aluthgamage, on Tuesday, met senior members of the Sri Lanka cricket team along with the national selection committee and officials of Sri Lanka Cricket. He was of the view that the communication gap among the team, selectors and officials had made a significant contribution towards the team’s downfall.

The necessity of having a greater understanding between Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan and coach Marsh Snr. was also discussed at the meeting with the Sports Minister.

Senior players Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, who also took part at the meeting, have pledged support to skipper Dilshan during the forthcoming tour of South Africa.

The Sports Minister stressed the importance of maintaining unity that would be the key to win against all odds.

He asked the selectors and coach to maintain a greater understanding with the national team, especially with the senior players, who had requested selectors not to act in a manner which demoralized the mentality of players. Coach Marsh is alleged to have concentrated more on his native Australian team’s matches against South Africa rather than on the team he was officially coaching - Sri Lanka, in the series against Pakistan. His first tour as the new Sri Lanka cricket coach ended in tragedy as Sri Lanka was humiliated by Pakistan in all forms of the game, losing the Test series 0-1, One Day International (ODI) series 1-4 and the one-off Twenty20 International.

It was disclosed that Marsh had been concentrating more on the live match coverage of the series between Australia and South Africa on a borrowed notebook computer, while his team was struggling against Pakistan.

Marsh, despite being a former top order batsman, has a special interest in concentrating on Australian cricket as both his sons – Shaun (28) and Mitchell (20), are among the contracted players in the current Australian national squad.

Team sources alleged that father Geoff Marsh was concentrating fully on his eldest son Shaun’s performance against South Africa when Sri Lanka batsmen were all at sea, especially during Sri Lanka’s first ODI against Pakistan in Dubai on November 11. Incidentally, it was the same day that Australia were skittled out for 47 runs in their second innings, to lose the second Test to South Africa by eight wickets at the Centurion.

Marsh Snr is accused of having a conflict of interest and keeping the Sri Lanka team in the dark when the team needed his services most, to keep the morale up. Though Lankan wickets had tumbled at regular intervals, Marsh has not paid any interest as he was fully focused on the South Africa-Australia game.

The Sri Lanka team is scheduled to make a six-week tour of South Africa starting early next month.

Dilshan and his men are due to play three Tests and five ODIs against South Africa. The Lankans will play a three-day warm up match against South Africa ‘A’ at Benoni from December 9 to 11, before commencing their three-Test series against South Africa in Centurion on December 15.