GEOFF Lawson, the former Australian fast bowler and Pakistan coach, has criticised the PCB and its chairman, Ijaz Butt, for failing to provide the strong leadership that the country needs during one of its biggest challenges. Lawson said Pakistan had put in place terrific 10 to 15-year plans to develop the game from the grassroots up, but since the appointment of Butt in 2008 there has been a decline with the PCB becoming virtually “non-functioning”.
“Even through this crisis we have heard virtually nothing from their chairman,” Lawson said on ESPNcricinfo’s audio show Time Out.
“He hides from a crisis, he is not a leader and when Pakistan need a strong leader and people to show them the way forward, they are not getting it from their board.” Test captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were charged under the ICC’s anti-corruption code and provisionally suspended from the game while their case is being heard.
However, Lawson said Salman Butt had done a great job with a young side since being appointed captain of Pakistan and that he would be shocked if Butt turned out to be at the centre of the spot-fixing scandal.
“If it is the case that these young players are being affected, then there is something very bad with the environment in which Pakistan cricket is being played in.”
Given the stakes, Lawson said the current crisis is the greatest Pakistan cricket has faced, and unlike previous crises, the team will not have the opportunity to mend fences by playing matches at home once things calm down.
“The hearings on Asif, Amir and Salman will be extremely important,” he said.
“I hope against hope that things will turn out alright but this is very much a watershed for Pakistan cricket right now.”(Cricinfo)