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Karachi, Dec 2: Pakistan coach Richard Pybus accepted the responsibility of cricket team's disastrous performance in Australia but emphasised that preparations for the tour were inadequate.

In a telephonic interview with Dawn from Lahore on Thursday, Pybus said: "Naturally the responsibility (of the poor performance) lies on the shoulders of the team management but it would be unfair to put all the blame on us."

Pybus, however, added that he was looking forward to complete his one-year tenure as coach "but I wouldn't be surprised but disappointed if I am sacked. I know the knives are out but I need time to turn things around. I can't deliver the goods in a month."

The former Border province coach said he would be meeting PCB ad hoc committee chairman Dr Zafar Altaf in the next couple of days and amongst other issues, his future with the Pakistan team will also come up for deliberations.

Pybus, the England-born South African, said it was an unrealistic approach of the followers of the game to expect to beat Australia in their backyard with no preparations at all.

"Two one-day tournaments leading upto the Australian tour are not an ideal preparation. How can you expect to beat arguable the best Test side in the world after playing your last Test way back in March," Pybus observed.

Pybus said the team management was new while skipper Wasim Akram had a difficult time to overcome the strong Australian challenge. He said regular changes at the top hierarchy also affects the concentration of the players.

"It was a new (team) management. In addition to this, the players were not prepared for the tour. Their fitness was poor and though they gained fitness as the tour progressed, the Australians turned out to be much fitter," he remarked, adding: "You can't play back-to-back Tests against Australia in Australia while lacking fitness."

Pybus didn't hide his displeasure over the standard of umpiring in the second Test. "I am deeply disappointed with the quality of umpiring. That crucial decision against Justin Langer on the final morning at Hobart left the players emotionally flat."

However, Pybus refused to comment when asked why Wasim Akram under-bowled Waqar Younis in the second Test and also didn't bowl himself after reducing the home team to 126 for five while chasing 369 for victory.

"I don't want to comment on the decisions of the captain. He (Wasim Akram) exploited all the available resources," Pybus said, adding: "Waqar Younis was fit and was not played in the third Test because we felt that the series was over and Mohammad Akram deserved a chance to show his mettle."

Asked if the team selection was good keeping in mind the conditions in Australia, Pybus said he was not part of the selection committee though the selectors asked his views on a few players.

"I had no background information of what talent and players were available. I was led by the selectors but I think the selectors did a pretty good job by selecting a balanced team," he stated.

Commenting on Shoaib Akhtar, Pybus said the paceman was told in clear terms that his job was not to break the 100-mile barrier. He said Shoaib was briefed in detail how he had to bowl on Australian conditions.

"But the poor boy had no match practice. He trained very hard to get fit for the tour but he lacked match practice. He hadn't played any competitive cricket since the World Cup and got just one four-dayer to prepare for the first Test," Pybus said while defending the pacer who averaged almost 68 for his six wickets in the series.

On the batting inconsistency, Pybus observed that the batsmen from the sub-continent will always struggle on the bouncy Australian pitches unless they had an excellent technique.

Pybus said there was room of separate teams for different levels of the game in which senior players can be rested and played in only crucial tournaments or Tests

© Dawn