Former test opener to coach Western Australia

Former test opener to coach Western Australia

Former test opener Justin Langer will leave hisposition as batting coach with the national cricket team to become head coachof Western Australia.

Cricket Australia announced later Wednesday that QueenslandSheffield Shield-winning skipper Stuart Law had been appointed Australia'sinterim batting coach, replacing Langer for at least the next five tests — two moreagainst South Africa and three against Sri Lanka.

Law played one test for Australia in 1994-95 — against SriLanka in Perth as a replacement for the injured Stephen Waugh — and alsocaptained Queensland to its first five Sheffield Shield titles, starting with avictory in 1994-95 that broke a 68-year drought.

He had coaching stints in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh beforereturning to Brisbane this year to take the head coaching role at CricketAustralia's Centre of Excellence.

Langer, meanwhile, inherits a Western Australia squad whichhas lost its first three matches in the Sheffield Shield domestic first-classseason. Captain Marcus North was replaced, coach Lachlan Stevens resigned andstar batsman Shaun Marsh was left out of the Shield and one-day teams.

Langer, who played 118 first-class matches in 17 seasons forthe state team, says he hopes to "bring cricket back to life in WesternAustralia."

Langer played 105 test matches for Australia, scoring 7,696runs at an average of 45.27 with 23 centuries and formed a prolific long-termopening partnership with Matthew Hayden. Langer retired after the 5-0 Ashes winover England in the 2006-07 season.

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