PCB rubbishes reports of Flower becoming batting coach

Karachi: Pakistan Cricket Board dismissed reports on Saturday that it was negotiating with former Zimbabwean batsman Grant Flower to appoint him as batting coach of the national team.

A senior official in the Board, who declined to be named, told PTI that no talks were in progress with Flower as reported by a section of the media. "He is not under consideration for the position of Pakistan`s batting coach or consultant," the official said. The official said it was a wrong impression that the Board had shortlisted Flower as a strong candidate for the batting coach/consultant position. "We are in the process of short listing some viable candidates whose names we don`t want to disclose as yet. But we had received good number of applications when we advertised for the position of batting coach and consultant," the official said. Flower, who played 66 Tests and 221 ODIs, is the brother of Andy Flower. PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf, in a recent interview, had made it clear that the batting coach, whether a foreigner or a local, he has to be someone who has played modern day cricket and was fit enough to train with the players. The PCB had approached Pakistan`s former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq to take over as batting consultant of the national team last year before the team went to India for the one-day series. Inzamam worked with the players in a short camp in Lahore before the Indian tour but did not accompany them due to prior commitments but was asked by the Board to go with the team to South Africa. But apparently, talks between the Board and Inzamam fell through over the contractual details including the fees to be paid to him. The former captain had also demanded a two year coaching contract from the Board which instead wanted him to work on a one year contract. PTI