PCB Chairman may take decision on Lawson soon: sources

KARACHI: The Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is expected to make some key decisions on national coach Geoff Lawson after his return from a vacation in the United States.
Dr Nasim Ashraf is expected back next week but speculations are rife whether he will return because of the prevailing political uncertainty in the country.
Ashraf's continued absence has been put down to a minor surgery by the board but skeptics have linked it to the impeachment movement against President Musharraf who is fast losing ground and could resign in the next two days.
Whenever he returns, Ashraf will have to take some strong decisions one of which related to the national selection committee being unhappy with the attitude of the national team coach, Australian Geoff Lawson, another relates to suspended pacer Mohammad Asif and the third to fast bowler, Shoaib Akhtar.
Sources close to the selectors have confirmed that the selection committee is planning to submit a written complaint about Lawson's unprofessional behaviour to the Chairman.
"The selectors and Lawson exchanged hot words and there was plenty of drama when they sat down to finalise the squad for the Champions Trophy last week," one source disclosed.
He said Lawson's attitude had upset the selectors who had put their foot down and finalised their squad although the coach came armed with his own list of 15 players some of whom were rejected by the selectors leaving Lawson fuming and walking out of the meeting.
Lawson himself is in Australia right now and was present with the ICC task team when they spoke to Australian and New Zealand cricket officials and players regarding the Champions Trophy being held in Pakistan.
But his role with the task force is now apparently over but the Board says he will not return before August 27 leading to speculations whether he plans to continue as coach.
"This is not the first time the selectors have had problems with Lawson and this time they want the Board Chairman to take some action," the source said.
Ashraf will also have to deal with the recommendations made by the fact finding committee of the board which probed the detention of Mohammed Asif in Dubai for 19-days in June for alleged possession of a contraband substances.
Although Asif was released by the Dubai authorities without pressing of any charges but sources have said the committee had found enough instances in the incident to recommend more disciplinary action against the pace bowler who is already suspended for having tested positive in the inaugural Indian Premier League