Lawson leaves Pakistan abruptly

2008-09-08 10:53

Pakistan - The Pakistan Cricket Board has played down national coach Geoff Lawson's decision to leave abruptly for Australia on Monday and take leave with his family.

"He will be back later this month," PCB spokesperson Mansoor Suhail said.

Lawson, a former Australian Test bowler, left Pakistan as the cricket board is working to fill the gap left by the postponement of the Champions Trophy limited-overs tournament and arrange some international cricket for its team - most likely against Sri Lanka.

"His annual leave was due and there's nothing more than that," Sohail said.

"If the series against Sri Lanka materializes, Lawson will surely come back much earlier and join the team," he added.

Local media have reported Lawson position may be in doubt in the new-look PCB, left after chairperson Nasim Ashraf resigned on Aug. 18, just hours after the organization's patron President Pervez Musharraf stepped down as Pakistan leader.

I have no insecurities

The PCB's new patron - President Asif Ali Zardari - is expected to name a new chairperson later this month.

"I have no insecurities," Lawson was quoted as saying in The News newspaper on Sunday.

Lawson, who took over the Pakistan coaching duties in July 2007 steered the national team to the final of inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa last year.

Under Lawson's coaching, Pakistan lost both Test series at home against South Africa and one against India in India last year. This year, Australia was expected to tour Pakistan, but the tour was postponed due to security concerns.

Pakistan - which did not play a single Test match in 2008 - is not expected to play its next Test match before January 2009 when India tours. It currently stands at No. 6 positions in both the International Cricket Council's test and one-day rankings.

Lawson took up the Pakistan coaching job after the death of Bob Woolmer at last year's World Cup, describing the role as a "big challenge."

'World's best team'

"I will continue to focus on my task which is to make Pakistan the world's best team," he said at the time.

"I had several lucrative options in Australia but accepted to be Pakistan's coach because it was a big challenge for me. And I will continue to focus on my task which is to make Pakistan the world's best team."

Lawson, who took 180 wickets in 46 Test matches for Australia between 1980-1989, recently failed to convince Australian and New Zealand players to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy as part of the International Cricket Council's security task force.

The biennial event had to be postponed for a year due to growing security fears held by Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa.

- AP