BCCI all set to pick new coach: will it be Ford or Emburey?

Chennai, Jun 8 (UNI) After over 70 days of high drama, which had seen the near appointment and 'dropping' of Lankan born Aussie, Dave Whatmore, as successor to Greg Chappell, BCCI's search for a new coach will end here tomorrow.

The committee constituted to pick a new coach, even as there is strong opposition to having a foreigner for the job especially among former players, will evaluate the presentations by former South Africa and current Kent coach Graham Ford and former England and Middlesex off spinner John Emburey.

The venue of the meeting of the BCCI panel will be a five star hotel in the city, which had previously staged a few crucial meetings of the Cricket Board.

In fact, it was at this venue that the cotroversial Jagmohan Dalmia had taken over as board president from A C Muthiah, a former Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) pesident. Both Ford and Emburey are scheduled to arrive here later today.

While Ford is being projected as the 'unanimous choice' of senior players in Team India, including skipper Rahul Dravid, the BCCI also obligingly invited him to 'apply for the post' in the wake of his tremendous success rate as the coach for South Africa earlier.

The Proteas had won nine out of the 11 series under him.

But later in the wake of match fixing controversy involving former South Africa captain Hansie Crojne, Ford was 'dropped' and settled down as coach of English county Kent.

Emburey is a 'rookie' as far as coaching an international side is concerned. If chosen, this would be his first job. However, favoured by one of the members of the panel -- former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar -- Emburey's record in Tests and ODIs as a player stands him in good stead.

In 64 Tests, Emburey has bagged 147 wickets and scored 1,113 runs with the bat. In ODIs, he has 76 wickets from 61 matches. After retirement, the lanky English offie was player-cum-coach of Northamptonshire and Middlesex and Director of coaching for Middlesex.

Both Ford and Emburey have expressed keeness to take up the job. While Emburey had said that his aim would be to put Team India on par with the invincible Aussies, Ford considered the job as the biggest job in world cricket ''as Team India has outstanding players and world class stars.'' MORE UNI