Pak cricket has bright future: Lawson
Posted on Jun 18, 2007 at 18:58
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Tags: cricket, pakistan, new coach
Islamabad: Ex-Test paceman Geoff Lawson, one of three Australians vying for the job of Pakistan cricket coach, thinks the country has a bright future in the game despite recent setbacks.
Pakistan slumped out of the World Cup in March after a first-round loss to minnows Ireland. The shock was compounded when the team's English coach, Bob Woolmer, was found dead in his Jamaican hotel room the next day.
"Pakistan has a bright future and had I not been interested (in the coaching job) I wouldn't have come here," Lawson told reporters in Bhurban, a hill resort near the capital where Pakistani officials were to interview him for the job.
Lawson, Richard Done and Dav Whatmore have been shortlisted to replace Woolmer.
"I am honoured and feel great pride to be among the candidates," Lawson said.
Pakistan Cricket Board officials interviewed Done on Sunday while Whatmore, who has coached Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, was to arrive Wednesday.
Lawson said that at first he had reservations about seeking the job because of the controversy surrounding the March 18 death of Woolmer.
Jamaican police last week announced that Woolmer likely died of heart failure, dropping earlier suspicions that the 58-year-old had been strangled.
"It is fair to say that I changed my mind after it was announced Woolmer died of natural causes. I mean there could not have been any other reason and had it been I would not have been here," Lawson said.
He said he was disappointed to see former champion Pakistan making an early exit from this year's World Cup in the Caribbean after it lost group matches to the West Indies and Ireland.
''They are impressive when they play well and are frustrating when they play bad,'' he said.
''But I have been a great admirer of Pakistan players, having watched their matches and met some players as a mediaman last year.''
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