Geoff Lawson is Pakistan's coach

Former Australian speedster Geoff Lawson is Pakistan's new cricket coach. Here's what Lawson thinks of different topics
On the job
"I am excited, nervous, anxious. I'm looking forward to it. It is a significant job and it's a challenge. haven't been in an international dressing room since leaving the game but I have been on the other side of the fence, watching the game, analysing it. So I don't think it's too big a jump to be a coach now. I am involved in a lot of coaching in Australia, I am involved in commentating and I see a great deal of international cricket so all those ingredients should make the transition smooth."
On communication gap
"I am told that the squad are all learning English, so someone is making the effort somewhere. Yes, communication is important and I will be certainly trying to pick up some Urdu. If we need translators the board will surely get this done. We just want this to go as best as possible."

'I've the experience to coach India', in IBNLIVE.COM

Dav Whatmore's contract with the Bangladesh Cricket team has ended and now he is the front runner to become India's next coach. Whatmore says he's the man as he has got the experience.

"I think it is a logical extension for a bigger challenge after continuing to accumulate a lot of knowledge in cricket coaching. I just feel that it is a logical extension to that greater challenge with all the information and experience," Whatmore says.

The 53-year-old Australian was born in Sri Lanka before migrating to Australia. He played seven Tests and one ODI for Australia before retiring in 1988-89 to become a coach.

He was the coach of Sri Lanka when they won the World Cup in 1996 defeating Australia and then went on to become the coach of Lancashire in English county cricket.

He became Bangladesh's coach in 2003. Under his tutourship Bangladesh won their first Test series beating Zimbabwe at home.

Some of the memorable wins that Bangladesh registered under him include a win over India in 2004-05 at Dhaka.

They also won an One-Day series against Zimbabwe and in 2005 they had beaten Australia at Cardiff in an ODI.

In the World Cup 2007 their second major win came against the South Africans in the Super Eights stage after they had overcome the Indians in the group stage.

Whatmore has been credited with all the success that Bangladesh have achieved in the recent times.

Kapil disappointed with BCCI, in NDTV.COM

Former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev has expressed disappointment over BCCI's "failure" to arrange telecast of the Test series between India and Bangladesh.

"The BCCI makes so much money from cricket. Hence, it is unfortunate that it was not able to arrange the telecast. There is a need for the BCCI to do a rethinking on this aspect," he told reporters on Sunday.

Kapil was in Pune to distribute prizes to the winners of an under-15 cricket tournament.

About centuries by senior Indian players on the Bangladesh tour, he said it would have been good if they had scored them at a faster rate.

Kapil, who is President of National Cricket Academy of the BCCI and executive chairman of the newly-formed Indian Cricket League, said that the ICL has been set up to promote cricket and bring in more competitiveness in the game

Ashra-ful of talent- Anand Naik in MIDDAY

Ashra-ful of talent

When a team loses by an innings and 239 runs and yet if the highlight of the match is a knock by one of their batsmen, it is proof enough of his class and potential.

And Mohammad Ashraful proved yesterday that he is not just one of the most promising stars of Bangladesh cricket, but he has the ability to tear apart any opponent.

Bangladesh were already out of the game by the time Ashraful came into bat at 10-3 in the fourth over.

And as he took guard to face RP Singh, his dismissal off the first ball in the first innings would have played heavily on his mind.

“When I went out to bat, I was thinking about the 158 I had made against India last time. I wanted to bat just the way I had then,” Ashraful had said on Saturday.

In December 2004 at the Chittagong Stadium, against an attack that comprised of Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, Ashraful had walked in to bat at 54-3 and blasted his way to an unbeaten 158 off just 194 deliveries.

Though Ashraful could not do it in the first innings, he came very close to repeating his feat yesterday.

Throwing caution to the wind, the youngest Test centurion hooked Zaheer and RP over the ropes and drove them over the covers at will.

His 67 came off just 46 deliveries. As his batting showed skill and ability, his dismissal proved he still needs to mature to be a quality Test cricketer.
“Ashraful’s innings was a touch of brilliance.

But I though it was more akin to a one-day innings,” said outgoing coach Dav Whatmore.

“There is no doubt about his potential but a little bit of maturity will make him a truly great player,” he added.

http://www.mid-day.com/sports/international/2007/may/158241.htm

Shastri's thumbs up for Robin, Venky- Anand Naik in MIDDAY

Shastri's thumbs up for Robin, Venky

Ravi Shastri’s job as the manager of the Indian team might have come to an end a bit earlier as India wrapped up the second Test and the series in just three days.

But his more important job in Indian cricket has just begun.

Impressive job

Member of the panel that will select India’s next coach, Shastri’s inputs, considering the time he has spent with the team, will be very important along with the fact that he has seen Dav Whatmore, one of the applicants for the job, at his work from close quarters.

And looking at the way he has been impressed with the job bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad and fielding coach Robin Singh have done, there is every chance that they might continue to be a part of the coaching staff under the new coach.

“If I am asked, they should stay with the team. Both Venky and Robin did a fantastic job with the team” the former India all-rounder said.

“They were both very dedicated cricketers and they did this job too with a lot of dedication and pride.”

While the pair’s fate will only be known on June 4, rumours had been doing the rounds that the Board of Control for Cricket in India was already planning to continue with Prasad.

“Even I have heard those rumors but the BCCI has not informed me anything about it. But if given a chance, I would love to continue with my job. It’s been a great experience for me,” Prasad had said a few days earlier.

Tightlipped

Shastri, however, refused to say anything about what he wanted from the next coach of the team.

“I am on the panel of the selection committee that will pick the next coach. So I will hold my cards for the moment,” he said.

A League of Their Own , Partab Ramchand in NEWINDPRESS

The irony could not be missed by even a casual follower of the game. Kapil Dev, currently chairman of the BCCI-run Bangalore-based National Cricket Academy, now heads the Executive Board of the breakaway Indian Cricket League. Much as the men behind the project might disapprove of the word ‘breakaway’, there is more to it than meets the eye. The ICL is the brainchild of Indian TV mogul Subhash Chandra of the Essel Group that owns the Zee brand. Three years ago, Chandra made a bid for the BCCI’s TV rights and lost out despite making the highest offer. So the analogy with Kerry Packer is not out of place, for the late Australian TV tycoon was also a jilted suitor 30 years ago before he formed World Series Cricket and took on the Australian Cricket Board and the International Cricket Council in a head-on collision that ultimately saw the game undergo a metamorphosis.

The ICL is also seen as a direct confrontation with the BCCI, though Chandra himself and members of the newly-formed Executive Board have gone to great lengths to term the project as “complementary’’ to the functioning of the BCCI. But here, again, the analogy with Packer is not out of place. For if Packer took on the ICC, an organisation run by myopic and blinkered old men in suits who guarded their fiefdoms jealously, Chandra is also up against an Indian Cricket Board that guards its turf zealously and does not take kindly to any kind of rivalry even if it is termed complementary.

The BCCI’s initial reaction to Chandra’s announcement was along expected lines. Board secretary Niranjan Shah said that it would take “an appropriate decision” on the proposal received from Zee Telefilms to start a parallel cricket league. The outspoken BCCI vice president Lalith Modi, however, made it clear that the ICL was not going to be feasible without the Board’s cooperation. “If Chandra is planning a local tournament,” said Modi, “he can’t use our sports facilities without our permission. If he is roping in international players, that requires the sanction of the BCCI and the ICC. The Board does not normally give private parties permission to do anything like this.” Three decades ago, Packer faced a similar problem with overzealous officials. With the traditional Test grounds out of bounds for the WSC matches, he had to conduct the games at other venues, including football grounds. Dropped-in pitches, night cricket, white balls, black sight screens and coloured clothing were suddenly seen on a cricket field, and detractors dismissed it all as “the pyjama game.” We are all wiser now and thanks are due to Packer’s vision, even if the whole thing cropped up because of a personal grudge.

To Subhash Chandra too a vote of thanks would not be out of place but perhaps that will have to wait till his ambitious venture really takes wings. The ICL has been planned as a month-long Twenty20 cricket event which will feature six cities in an attempt to spruce up domestic cricket. The tournament will start with six city teams and go up to 16 by the third year. The prize money for the event is a whopping $1 million (about Rs 45 lakhs). The Essel Group is expected to pump Rs 100 crore into the ambitious project. Every team will consist of two Indian stars, four overseas players and eight juniors in keeping with the credo “give opportunities to youngsters.”

Chandra is of the view that the BCCI’s selection process has failed to create “a reserve pipeline of players” and the idea behind the league is to create an “ideal pool with killing instinct.” The BCCI, he has said, would be free to draw from the talent pool. “We feel that despite cricket being a passion and a religion in this country, despite it having great commercial players, BCCI has only six A-grade players signed up. Therefore, there is need for some united effort to create a talent pool and this will be done by a three pronged strategy — discovery, diligence and display.”

Attempting a predictably conciliatory approach, Chandra insists he isn’t trying to emulate Packer. “That was different. Kerry Packer had staged a coup by getting the big players on his side,” says Chandra. “However, in the case of the Zee Group, we would continue to bid for BCCI telecast rights. The initiative that we would launch is about a talent hunt and a talent-building process. The initiative to launch the ICL should be seen as a challenge taken up by the Essel/Zee Group in BCCI’s quest to improve Indian cricket.” Interestingly, Lalith Modi himself had floated the idea of a similar league about a decade ago, an idea that couldn’t progress beyond BCCI’s red tape. One of those involved in that project was former Indian opening batsman Arun Lal, who said, “The reason why Australia keep winning is because they have a strong domestic structure that keeps churning out world-class players.” Arun Lal was of the view that the BCCI should put 90 per cent of its energies into this sphere of activity. “This was what I felt eight years ago and this is what I still feel is the way forward.”



The crux of the matter is that the ICL cannot get off the ground unless it has the BCCI’s permission to host an event of this nature. Even after the announcement of the four member Executive Board — the others are former England captain Tony Greig, former Australian batsman Dean Jones and former Indian wicket keeper Kiran More — the BCCI preferred to adopt a wait and watch policy. “We don’t yet know the details of what has been planned. So far the announcements have mentioned only the formation of six teams, but we are not sure whether it’s detrimental to Indian cricket and the BCCI,” said Board sources when asked whether there were any conflict of interests. Till a clearer picture emerged as to the real intentions of Chandra’s ICL, the BCCI — not unexpectedly, given its feudal structure — would adopt an ultra-cautious approach. And Indians being conventional by nature, it is unlikely that any contracted player or a budding young cricketer aiming to play for the country will be willing to jeopardise his career even for a bulging pay packet.

Chandra, no doubt, is aware of what he is up against, and that is why he has given momentum to the ICL by forming an executive board comprising big names. And if Packer’s WSC was ultimately a success it was because of the presence of the superstars. Chandra needs to think big. Recently there was talk of players of the superstar status of Shane Warne, Brian Lara and Glenn McGrath being signed up. These reports were denied by Zee Sports Business Head Himanshu Modi, but then these are the kind of names that will be the big attraction. Even though the three have recently retired from international cricket, they still have a frenzied following in this cricket crazy nation. That would give the project both star status and credibility. Once a proper organisation is put in place, it would show that Chandra means business and the rest — including permission from the BCCI — would fall in place.

In the meantime, Kapil is looking ahead with undisguised enthusiasm. “It’s a great pleasure to lead the Executive Board of the ICL, the first professional league. I will try and utilise my experience of motivating and guiding players, both as captain and coach, to take the young talent to the pinnacle of success,” he said. On his part too he has taken care to clarify that this wasn’t a breakaway league. “We want to improve our domestic cricket as much as we can. We are not looking to create a rival team but helping the Indian board to find more talent and feeding the national team.” Greig, who also welcomed the initiative, said that the ICL would be a platform for all corners of India to play with and against some of the stars of international cricket. “They can learn from them and gain confidence to excel. I think Indian cricket is ready for a professional cricket league and I’m confident the ICL can make a difference.”

Indeed, it has always been a delicious thought why foreign stars do not take part in Indian domestic competitions. When Indian cricketers have played in the English county championships, in Australia and South Africa, why can’t foreigners come and play in the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy and the one-day competitions? To that extent too the ICL holds promise. After all who would not want to pay to see Kevin Pietersen play for Mumbai or Adam Gilchrist turn out for Karnataka?

Overall, the ICL presents an opportunity for Chandra. But it could also be an opportunity for the BCCI if it plays its cards right and does not continue to stay in its ivory tower. It may even be for the good of Indian cricket if only by giving the system a shake-up. As Jayaditya Gupta wrote on the Cricinfo website: “What Chandra is proposing is effectively what the BCCI should have been doing anyway — in terms of building both infrastructure and manpower. If the BCCI feels threatened, it may be stirred into action — which may not be a bad thing. If on the other hand Chandra has held out his hand in genuine partnership and the BCCI accepts, Indian cricket can only get better.’’

The ICL in a nutshell

6 teams or clubs to play in the opening year

Talks on with BCCI for gaining access to stadiums

Executive Board of the league under installation

Pool of referees and umpires to be created

Rules committee to form regulations for ICL

Ombudsman to look into grievances of players

League to begin with Twenty20 format and move to ODI format

Each team to have a mentor, media manager, psychologist and physio

Prize money for the winner: $1 million

League teams to compete with teams internationally

Number of teams to be increased from 6 to 16 in three years

Botham set to 'walk' into knighthood

Former England great Ian Botham should start getting used to being referred to as 'Sir', as he is set to be knighted for his pathbreaking charity walks, having raised £10 million for children with leukaemia.

Botham, already an OBE (Order of the British Empire), is set to embrace knighthood after his 11 walks. He will get the recognition during the Queen's Birthday Honours on June 16.

"Ian Botham was a fabulous cricketer but his selfless charity work is out of this world. His fund-raising is first-class and no one, absolutely no one, deserves an honour more than him," British daily The Mirror quoted a royal source on Saturday.


"At a time when the honours system has been in the spotlight, his knighthood will be deserved recognition of outstanding public service," the source added.

Botham, one of cricket's all-time leading all-rounders, has been on a never-ending crusade against Leukemia and raising money for Leukemia Research througout England and the rest of the world.

A self-proclaimed "Prisoner of walk", Botham has vowed not to stop his crusade until the dreadly disease is wiped out completely.

"It's a bit like being in the trenches. I have to finish this walk and that's that. I never think of failing. I think of myself as a PoW - Prisoner of the Walk - and I'll only be free when we reach Lands End," he said.

"Ian has vowed never to give up until all children and young people with leukaemia survive," a close associate of Botham added.

Indian batsmen create world record in IBNLIVE

When Sachin Tendulkar took a single off Shakib Al Hasan to reach his 37th century in the first innings of the second match against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur (Dhaka) on Saturday, history was made as it was for the first time that the top four batsmen of any team had crossed the three figure mark in a Test.


The other three Indian batsmen who contributed in the world record are openers Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik and skipper Rahul Dravid.


While Jaffer had reached his fourth Test century on Day I itself before he retired ill on 138, the other three reached the landmark on the second day. In yet another first when Jaffer reached his century, it was the first time a century had been scored at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.


Dravid reached his 24th Test ton and finally got out for 129 (176b, 15x4 1x6) and Karthik went on to score his maiden century in the longer version of the game.


Karthik was finally out for 129 (212b, 16x4) with Tendulkar remaining not out on 122 before Dravid declared the innings on 610/3. Jaffer ,too, remained not on 138 (229b, 17x4) as he had already retired ill on Day I.


There have been seven earlier instances where the top three batsmen of any team have gone on to score hundreds in the same innings. In fact, Sunil Gavaskar, Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Mohinder Amarnath all scored hundreds in the first innings at Sydney against Australia in January 1986.

Donald To Help English Cricketers

Former South Africa pace bowler Allan Donald has been appointed as a fast bowling consultant to assist the England cricket team.

Donald, 40, will aid the England team's fast bowling programme on a short-term consultancy basis.

He will begin his work from the run-up to the third test against West Indies at Old Trafford early next month, through to the end of the five-match one-day series in July.

Donald is the latest addition to England's new-look coaching team after Peter Moores replaced Duncan Fletcher as head coach following the World Cup. Former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower succeeded Matthew Maynard as batting coach this month.

Donald played 72 tests and 164 one-day internationals for South Africa and was one of the world's leading pace bowlers in the 1990s.

He has an English wife and a home in Birmingham in central England, having played for county team Warwickshire throughout the nineties.

Heatstroke troubling Indian cricketers, IN TELEGRAPH

Don’t be surprised if heatstroke becomes a cricket term. Nor if a team ending the first day of a Test at 326 for none starts praying for rain.

Openers Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik fell to dehydration on a day the mercury, not Mashrafe Mortaza, was piling the heat at Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.

Captain Rahul Dravid had the other day called for better scheduling by governing bodies so that the players don’t suffer. His warning came true on a day the temperature fluctuated between 38°C and 29°C and the relative humidity was a broiling 81 per cent.

Karthik, on 82, had to be helped out of the ground at tea and retired ill with a maiden Test ton in sight. Jaffer, coming off back-to-back ducks, battled for another 95 minutes to notch up 138, his fourth Test century, before deciding to follow his partner.

“Both suffered from nausea and dehydration. They had to be given saline and (physio) John Gloster is monitoring their condition,” administrative manager Surendra Bhave said.

Overnight batsmen Dravid (88) and Sachin Tendulkar (9) beware. The forecast for the next four days is: maximum temperature 34-35°C, humidity 76-83 per cent.

Jaffer was asked if being made to play in such swelter wasn’t a form of torture.

“(It’s) not in my hands; it’s up to the BCCI or Bangladesh Cricket Board to decide when and where to play,” he said. “It’s not easy (playing)…. Karthik and I had to leave because of cramps.”

Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore, tipped to take charge of India, was guarded: “The ICC calendar is crammed. If India was to come this year, this was the only time.” But he added: “It’s very difficult.”

Crammed? Dravid considered. “Over-crammed if you ask me. So I don’t know how we are going to fit everything in.”

The International Cricket Council said the national boards decide the fixtures. “We only ask teams to ensure they play each other in at least two Tests and three ODIs home and away over six years,” a spokesman said. “It’s up to the boards to schedule matches.”

The BCCI recently decided it would consult weather scientists before scheduling a series, but the Bangladesh tour had already been fixed. The fear, however, was about rain disruptions, a potential threat to revenues.