CricInfo Home
News Home

NEWS FOCUS
Rsa in Pak
NZ in India
Zim in Aus

Domestic
Other Series

Karachi, Dec 3: Pakistan sacked its fourth cricket team coach this year when Richard Pybus was shown the door barely 36 hours after the squad's return from a disastrous tour of Australia.

Pybus was informed of the decision on Friday morning when he visited the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) headquarters in Lahore.

Masood Chistie, co-ordinator of the board, communicated the England-born South African of the PCB decision after Pybus requested to arrange his meeting with Dr Zafar Altaf, chairman of the PCB ad hoc committee.

"When I requested Masood Chistie to arrange a meeting with Dr Zafar Altaf, I was informed that it was not necessary because my services were no longer required," Pybus, who was appointed in mid-October on a 11-month contract, said from Lahore.

Pybus said he was not told why he has been removed because he didn't get an opportunity to talk to the PCB chairman or the secretary.

"There is a strong possibility, however, that I might have been made a scapegoat for team's poor performance in Australia. I have said it in the past and still maintain that preparations for the tour were inadequate and no coach can turn things around in a month," Pybus, who returns to South Africa on Saturday, stated.

Dr Zafar Altaf, claimed from Faisalabad that Pybus' ouster came after a mutual agreement between the PCB Lahore secretariat and the South African.

"I didn't meet Pybus nor I know anything because I am in Faisalabad on professional duties," he said.

However, board secretary Shafqat Rana said Pybus was released because he was not a coach.

"Basically, he is a trainer who was working as a coach. For a coach, there are different credentials and the board felt he didn't had those qualifications," Rana said from Lahore.

Rana added: "Had he (Richard Pybus) been a coach, he would not have been appointed physical trainer in the World Cup."

Interestingly, Pybus' previous assignment before joining the Pakistan team was Border province coach. In South Africa, he is considered to mastermind Border elevation from bottom placed team to a champion squad.

Nevertheless, Zafar Altaf minced no words in saying that Pybus could neither deliver the goods in Australia nor could lead the team in the right direction despite knowing the Australian conditions.

"He knew the (Pakistan) players since the World Cup and the Australian conditions were also not knew to him. He just failed to impress," Zafar said.

Zafar Altaf added that the money the board was spending over Richard Pybus, in that amount the board can get the possible services of Geoff Boycott.

"Why shouldn't I go for Boycott if I have to spend millions on the coach. I have to decide whether I will go for a foreign coach or appoint someone from here. After I make the decision, the best of the lot will be appointed," Zafar Altaf added.

Although the board has not announced Richard Pybus' replacement, Mudassar Nazar is being widely tipped to take over the charge of the team for the second leg of the Australian tour. In the second half, Pakistan will play in the three-nation triangular series starting from Jan 9.

Pybus is the fourth coach to be shown the door this year. Javed Miandad resigned in April, Mushtaq Mohammad's brief term ended with the World Cup and Wasim Raja could last only a month during which Pakistan played two one-day tournaments in Toronto and Sharjah.

The PCB chairman, however, said Yawar Saeed and Wasim Akram, who toured Australia as manager and coach respectively, will continue their jobs.

Wasim, who was instrumental in getting Pybus appointed, said from Lahore that he always felt very comfortable working with Pybus.

"It is difficult to adjust with a new coach after every series but I am ready to work with anyone appointed by the board. It is the players who are disturbed because they have to develop a wave length with the new official," he said.

Wasim said a coach's calibre can't be judged in one series. He said the new coach should be given at least three series' before his contract his reviewed.

Shafqat Rana said Pybus has been released after his contract was examined. He said the coach will be given an additional one month salary.

Pybus termed his dismissal as disappointing and sad: "I had committed myself to Pakistan cricket and wanted to contribute in its way to consistency."

"In business, you have to be patient and consistent to earn fruitful results," he said.

Pybus said life would now not be same for him. He said it was a very difficult for him to quit Border. "For the family, it is more disturbing, particularly when they know I am returning jobless."

© Dawn