Mystery shrouds 'unnamed' contestant for Indian Cricket Coach

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

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

Media reports had made the appointment of Whatmore almost a certainty till the Coaches Selection Committee met 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 in Chennai. With the identity of the second probable's name being kept secret, speculations were rife that former English Coach Duncan Fletcher and former Sri Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga could be the possible 'second' candidate. However, BCCI officials were 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 of former captains and star cricketers to appoint an Indian as the Coach. Though a few names were doing the rounds in the media like Mohinder Amarnath and Madan Lal, all the Indian names have been quickly pushed aside by the Committee.

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

UNI