Emburey joins race along with Ford for Indian coach's job

Mumbai, June 5 (UNI) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today ended speculation over the second person in contention for the post of the Indian coach alongwith Graham Ford of South Africa, with BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah revealing that former England spinner John Emburey was the second candidate.

''The BCCI has invited Graham Ford and John Emburey to come to Chennai and make a presentation to the Special Committee on June 9, after which a final decision on the next coach of Indian team will be made,'' a statement from BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah said.

South African Ford had emerged as prime contender for the Indian job after the BCCI coach selection Committee which met in Bangalore last evening.

However, the BCCI had not named the second person whom it said they were trying to get in touch with.

It, however, ruled Dav Whatmore, out of the reckoning although he seemed to be the front runner all along.

It was speculated that the unnamed foreigner was either former England coach Duncan Fletcher or former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga whose name was reportedly brought up in the meeting by Sunil Gavaskar, one of the three former captains in the Committee.

Emburey, 54, played 64 Tests and took 147 wickets. He was also a capable batsman for an off-spinner, scoring 1713 runs at an average of 22.53 between 1978 and 1995. He took 76 wickets from 61 ODIs.

Besides, he also captained England in two Tests in 1988.

Emburey later coached Northamptonshire and Middlesex, two other teams he played for in first-class cricket. But both of those coaching stints came to an abrupt end.

Ford, who coached South Africa between 1999 and 2001 and currently Director of Coaching with Kent County Club, put in his application only a day before the meeting in Bangalore.

Ford, 46, worked as an assistant to the late Bob Woolmer with the South African team before taking over from him after the 1999 World Cup and guided the team till 2001 before moving to Kent.

UNI