Pakistan team manager Talat Ali has not reported any incident of racial abuse by
coach Bob Woolmer against any member of the team, including temperamental
fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar during the recent tour of South Africa.
A PCB official confirmed to PTI that Talat, in his tour
report filed with the Pakistan Cricket Board, said an altercation did
take place between Woolmer and Shoaib during the second Test in Port Elizabeth
but no racial abuse was involved in it.
"Talat has reported that Woolmer did accuse Shoaib of
faking his hamstring injury before the start of play on the second day of the
Test and the situation got out of hand when the fast bowler reacted.
"Talat has also confirmed that Shoaib was immediately
fined for indiscipline," the official said.
The 'Dawn' last week had quoted sources close to Shoaib as
saying that the bowler was planning to take legal action if captain Inzamam
ul Haq and Woolmer did not apologise to him for insulting and abusing him
during the Test when he pulled out of the match after just bowling in the first
innings due to a hamstring strain.
The newspaper reported that Woolmer had called Shoaib a "blacky"
during the altercation which Shoaib considered as racial abuse and wanted a
public apology.
Sources in the Board, however, said Talat privately in his
discussions with Board officials had expressed lack of faith and confidence
in Woolmer.
"Talat believes that the sooner the Board ends its contract
with Woolmer the better as he has lost respect of the players and has contributed
nothing to towards improving the culture in the dressing room and on the field,"
one source said. Talat, who has been retained as manager for the World Cup,
also outlined the need for the Board to be more firm in dealing with the players
and not allowing them to break team disciplline.
An incident where Inzamam demanded his ticket and passport
to fly back to Pakistan when he heard Shoaib had been rushed to South Africa
has been quoted by Talat as a prime example.
On another occasion apparently the Board officials agreed that
discarded left-handed opener Salman Butt should be recalled to join the
team for the one dayers to set up a right and left opening combination
but chief selector Wasim Bari refused to go with them and told them he didn't
want to annoy Inzamam who didn't want Butt in the team.
Sources further confirmed the worsening relationship between
the Board and Woolmer citing an example where the coach was insistent on purchasing
a software progarmme called "Hawkeye" for the team but the Chairman
and Director Cricket Operations refused to accommodate his demand.
"Woolmer had arranged for a presentation of the software
programme which shows exactly which bowlers pitches the ball at which length
in South Africa when the Board officials were also there.
"But it was not accepted on the grounds that he should have asked for
it before and secondly it would cost the Board something around 30,000 pounds
annually just for its usage rights," the source said.
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