Whatmore frontrunner for West Indies coaching job

Antigua, Sep 27 (UNI) Australian Dav Whatmore is hoping to get third time lucky when his name will come up for discussion for the position of West Indies cricket coach, which was left vacant after his compatriot Bennet King resigned.

Whatmore has earlier been snubbed by both India and Pakistan cricket board for the same position. Interstingly, both the boards had shown their inclination in the beginning only to cold-shoulder the Aussie in the end.

Whatmore has coached the Sri Lankan side which lifted the World cup in 1996 under the captaincy of Arjuna Ranatunga.

The 53-year-old Australian also has the distinction of coaching the Bangladesh cricket team and under whose coaching stint Bangladesh transformed itself from being the whipping boys of World cricket to a side that could occasionally surprise even the most powerful cricket countries.

Now with an opening in West Indies cricket, the former Sri Lankan coach would be crossing his fingers.

Whatmore, according to a Caribbean website, is the frontrunner for the job, along with his Aussie mate John Dyson.

In fact, John Dyson will also be hoping the same after his application for coaching the Sri Lankan cricket team didn't materialise. But, interestingly the Oz opening batsman also seemed to be interested in the Indian job.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has insisted that it will hire the best man for the job regardless of nationality but a strong anti-foreign-coach sentiment in the Caribbean could force the board to ignore Whatmore's candidacy even though he has more experience and credibility in the international coaching circuit.

Several West Indian coaches are also interested in the job, including Ireland head coach Phil Simmons, former KwaZulu-Natal coach Eldine Baptiste, incumbent assistant David Williams and Hendy Springer, fast-bowling all-rounder and England bowling coach Ottis Gibson, former Bermuda coach Mark Harper and Vincentian Ian Allen.

Although, West Indian Roger Harper, who just finished a stint with the Kenyan national team, did not apply for the job. Harper's name is being suggested for the position of coaching director of the West Indies academy.

Former Zimbabwean coach Dave Houghton has also applied for the same.

UNI