Australia's Geoff Lawson to coach Pak cricket team

FE Team | Published: July 17, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

SYDNEY, Jul 16 (AFP): Former Australian fast bowler Geoff Lawson said Monday he had been confirmed as Pakistan's new cricket coach to succeed Bob Woolmer, who died during the World Cup campaign in the Caribbean in March.
Lawson told Sky News he regarded the job -- seen as one of the most difficult in the game -- as "a wonderful challenge."
"It's such a talented squad they have over there," he said after being informed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that he had secured the job.
"When you look at the class of player they have, you just have to be excited about being involved with them."
PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf had said earlier the race for the post was between Lawson and fellow Australian Dav Whatmore after a third countryman, Richard Done, had been eliminated.
Lawson, 49, has no direct experience as an international coach. But he has coached the New South Wales team in Australia and was reportedly backed by most of the Pakistan team's players, who found him more friendly.
Reports in Australia said it was believed the Pakistan board had wanted Whatmore, who has coached Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, but went with the players' wishes.
Pakistan have had 11 different coaches in the past 10 years, with three stints each for former great Javed Miandad and Richard Pybus, Pakistan's first foreign coach.
Woolmer, who took over from Miandad in June 2004, was criticised for over-experimenting with the team and was certain to be sacked after Pakistan's first-round exit from the 2007 World Cup.
The new coach will be under pressure from the outset as Pakistan have a hectic international schedule commencing with the Twenty20 World Cup in September in South Africa.
Pakistan then host South Africa for two Tests and five one-day internationals before touring India for three Tests and five one-day internationals in November and December.
Pakistan also face world champions Australia in March and April next year.
Lawson said he expected to head over to Lahore within a month to prepare for the Twenty-20 World Cup.
"What changes when we get there? Well, there'll probably be quite a few. I'm hoping to take a few more Australian personnel with me as well," he said.
Woolmer's death in Jamaica was initially regarded as murder but police later said he had died from natural causes. Lawson told reporters this helped him make a decision after he received an approach from the PCB.
"Security to me seems to be fine and I don't have any personal concerns. That was one of the big hurdles to get over, to even go for an interview," he said.
"They know I am a very straightforward person, and they are the terms I got employed on," Lawson added.
"I see Pakistan as a highly talented but underachieving side and it will be a great challenge to get them playing at their best again.
"And if they don't want to be part of that, that'll be their downfall."
But he said that was not the impression he got when he spoke to the players at a training camp last month.