Karachi, Dec 2: Pakistan coach Richard Pybus accepted the
responsibility of cricket team's disastrous performance in Australia
but emphasised that preparations for the tour were inadequate.
In a telephonic interview with Dawn from Lahore on Thursday, Pybus
said: "Naturally the responsibility (of the poor performance) lies on
the shoulders of the team management but it would be unfair to put all
the blame on us."
Pybus, however, added that he was looking forward to complete his
one-year tenure as coach "but I wouldn't be surprised but disappointed
if I am sacked. I know the knives are out but I need time to turn
things around. I can't deliver the goods in a month."
The former Border province coach said he would be meeting PCB ad hoc
committee chairman Dr Zafar Altaf in the next couple of days and
amongst other issues, his future with the Pakistan team will also come
up for deliberations.
Pybus, the England-born South African, said it was an unrealistic
approach of the followers of the game to expect to beat Australia in
their backyard with no preparations at all.
"Two one-day tournaments leading upto the Australian tour are not an
ideal preparation. How can you expect to beat arguable the best Test
side in the world after playing your last Test way back in March,"
Pybus observed.
Pybus said the team management was new while skipper Wasim Akram had a
difficult time to overcome the strong Australian challenge. He said
regular changes at the top hierarchy also affects the concentration of
the players.
"It was a new (team) management. In addition to this, the players were
not prepared for the tour. Their fitness was poor and though they
gained fitness as the tour progressed, the Australians turned out to
be much fitter," he remarked, adding: "You can't play back-to-back
Tests against Australia in Australia while lacking fitness."
Pybus didn't hide his displeasure over the standard of umpiring in the
second Test. "I am deeply disappointed with the quality of
umpiring. That crucial decision against Justin Langer on the final
morning at Hobart left the players emotionally flat."
However, Pybus refused to comment when asked why Wasim Akram
under-bowled Waqar Younis in the second Test and also didn't bowl
himself after reducing the home team to 126 for five while chasing 369
for victory.
"I don't want to comment on the decisions of the captain. He (Wasim
Akram) exploited all the available resources," Pybus said, adding:
"Waqar Younis was fit and was not played in the third Test because we
felt that the series was over and Mohammad Akram deserved a chance to
show his mettle."
Asked if the team selection was good keeping in mind the conditions in
Australia, Pybus said he was not part of the selection committee
though the selectors asked his views on a few players.
"I had no background information of what talent and players were
available. I was led by the selectors but I think the selectors did a
pretty good job by selecting a balanced team," he stated.
Commenting on Shoaib Akhtar, Pybus said the paceman was told in clear
terms that his job was not to break the 100-mile barrier. He said
Shoaib was briefed in detail how he had to bowl on Australian
conditions.
"But the poor boy had no match practice. He trained very hard to get
fit for the tour but he lacked match practice. He hadn't played any
competitive cricket since the World Cup and got just one four-dayer to
prepare for the first Test," Pybus said while defending the pacer who
averaged almost 68 for his six wickets in the series.
On the batting inconsistency, Pybus observed that the batsmen from the
sub-continent will always struggle on the bouncy Australian pitches
unless they had an excellent technique.
Pybus said there was room of separate teams for different levels of
the game in which senior players can be rested and played in only
crucial tournaments or Tests