Cricket Australia extends Lehmann's contract

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP):

Cricket Australia has extended head coach Darren Lehmann's contract to cover the Ashes and the World Cup in 2019.

Lehmann, a former Test batsman who took over a team in turmoil during the losing Ashes series in England in 2013, was initially contracted to mid-2017.

Yesterday, Cricket Australia's executive general manager Pat Howard said: "2019 is such a big year for Australian cricket and we wanted certainty and stability for the playing group with both the coach and assistant coach."

During Lehmann's tenure, Australia regained the No. 1 Test match ranking and won the 2015 World Cup on home soil.

The Australians are in Sri Lanka for a three-Test series.