Cricket Australia extends coach Lehmann's contract to 2019

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.

Cricket Australia's executive general manager Pat Howard on Monday 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.