Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) yesterday expressed their disappointment over Richard Pybus’s failure to sign a deal with the board regarding his tenure as the head coach of the national team.
BCB officials expressed their concern after the leading Bengali daily Prothom Alo claimed that the deal between Pybus and the board, which took place in June, was not agreed upon ‘on paper’. The board’s cricket operations committee held a meeting yesterday, in order to address the situation.
“We made a gentleman’s agreement with him [Pybus]. He was supposed to gradually agree to the terms and conditions. And honestly speaking, we are shocked that he still didn’t sign the contract. We feel that he has done his job more on a part-time basis rather than full-time,” said Jalal Yunus, chairman of BCB’s media committee.
Pybus, who left the country last week, is yet to inform the BCB regarding his return. “He has been asked to come to Bangladesh and sign the contract as soon as possible as there might be legal complications otherwise,” said Yunus.
Yunus further stated that the BCB was concerned about the players’ performance and that they wanted the coach to plan an early national camp. “As of now, our main aim is to start the national camp for the players. For that we’ll need Pybus to send us a training programme as soon as possible. Our immediate concern is the West Indies tour,” added Yunus.
The Englishman was appointed the national team’s coach in early May, after Stuart Law resigned due to personal reasons.
In other staff-related decisions, the national team’s spin-consultant, Saqlain Mushtaq’s tenure has been extended till December. The spinner had initially joined the national team in July on a three month contract. This means that the spinner will remain throughout the upcoming series against the West Indies which is scheduled to take place in November.
While the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium is sure to host a number of games in the series, there is also possibility for Khulna’s Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium to witness its first Test match. ICC’s Roshan Mahanama will arrive in Dhaka on the 11th of this month to take a decision on whether the venue meets the international standards.
-With The Daily Star input
