Pakistan adopts new selection policy

MULTAN, Nov. 21 (Reuters) Pakistan has adopted a new selection policy effectively curbing the powers of the captain and coach in the selection of test and one-day teams.

Under the new system, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said a selector will sit with the captain, coach, vice captain and bowling coach in finalising the playing eleven before each match.

''The system started with the second test against the West Indies,'' Saleem Altaf, the PCB's director of cricket operations, told Reuters.

''The new policy is in line with other cricket playing nations like Australia and England. A selector would now remain attached with the team on tours and home series,'' he said.

Under the old policy, the selectors were not involved in picking playing elevens which was done by the team management.

In a further bid to introduce more transparency in selection of teams, the board has directed that any dissent on the selection of any player should be minuted, Altaf said.

''For the second test, coach Bob Woolmer wanted to play left arm pacer Samiullah Niazi. But the majority prevailed that allrounder Abdul Razzaq should be retained from the first test team,'' a board source said.

Altaf said the board had also decided that after the World Cup paid and fulltime selectors would be appointed.

''They will replace the system of selectors working on an honorary basis,'' he said.

REUTERS SAM DS1150