Mystery shrouds 'unnamed' contestant for Indian Cricket coach

Bangalore, Jun 5 (UNI) Mystery shrouds over the identity of the second foreigner in the race for Indian Cricket Coach post with South African Graham Ford emerging the top contestant.

With fancied Australian Dav Whatmore eliminated from the race, the BCCI yesterday announced a second candidate would be heard along with Ford in Chennai on June nine before the new coach was named.

Media reports had made the appointment of Whatmore a certainty till the Coaches selection Committee meeting here last night.

Emerging from the meeting BCCI Treasurer N Srinivasan said Whatmore was not in the race and Ford and another player would present their case at Chennai. With the identity of the second probable name being kept secret, speculations have that former English Coach Duncan Fletcher and Srilankan Arjuna Ranatunga could be the possible 'second' candidate. However BCCI officials are tight lipped over the name.

Ford, a former South African Coach was currently Director of Cricket in English County team Kent. The Committee decided to ignore the demand from former captains and star cricketers to appoint an Indian as the coach. Though a few names were doing the media rounds like Mohinder Amarnath, Madan Lal and others, all the Indian names have been quickly kept aside by the Committee.

Ford had been the successful coach for South Africa which won nine out of eleven series after he took over after the 1999 World Cup. However, he had to face to axe following the murky match fixing controversy involving late South African Skipper Hansie Cronje and some other players.

UNI