Marsh says he withdrew interest in Indian coaching job

Former Australian cricket coach Geoff Marsh, who had reportedly been offered 700,000 Australian dollars (367,500 US) to coach the Indian side, said here Tuesday he had withdrawn his interest in the job 10 days ago.

Former New Zealand captain John Wright has been appointed to the Indian job, according to an Indian newspaper report Monday. A report in the Deccan Chronicle said Wright would take up a two-year appointment on November 1.

Until then Marsh had been seen as the frontrunner for the position.

Marsh said in a prepared statement, issued by the Western Australian Cricket Association: "I wrote to the Indian Cricket Board 10 days ago indicating that I was withdrawing my interest in the position.

"I withdrew for the same reasons that I stepped down from my role as Australian coach in September, 1999 -- to spend more time with my family."

Marsh said he was content to remain coach of local club side Willetton, where his 17-year-old son, Shaun, is a star all-rounder.

Shaun Marsh, one of three children in the family, is yet to make his first-class debut, but shrewd judges say that could be close. He is considered an exceptional talent who will make a major impact on the game over the next few years.

Geoff Marsh is known to have re-drawn some of his life goals, giving added emphasis to family closeness, after the tragic death in a road smash 14 months ago of close friend Mark McPhee, a former Western Australian batsman.

He quit the Australian coaching job because he did not want to continue in a role which involved repeated and extended absences from home.

He remains an Australian selector, a position involving only limited and occasional travel within Australia. Australians Greg Chappell and Dean Jones had also been in the running for the Indian coaching position.

Mail Cricket Editor