Kent set to stall Ford departure for India

London, June 10 (UNI) Graham Ford, who was appointed India coach yesterday, may not join the team as soon as the BCCI wanted as his employers at English County club, Kent, are set to stall his early departure.

The club is even determined to keep hold of their Director of Cricket if the official statement is to be believed. Should they fail to convince him to stay, they are likely to demand compensation from the BCCI before they agree to release him.

Ford, whose contract with the Spitfires runs till September 2008, is set to have crunch talks with the county tonight but they are not likely to take place as scheduled with Kent chiefs insisting the priority remains the Friends Provident Trophy clash against Hampshire at Tunbridge Wells today.

BCCI treasurer N Srinivasan told reporters yesterday at Chennai that Ford would intimate the BCCI before its Working Committee meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday as to when he would be able to join the team.

A statement on the Kent Club official website read: ''Following reports suggesting that Kent director of cricket Graham Ford has been offered and has accepted the role of coach to the Indian national side, Kent County Cricket Club can confirm that Ford is returning to the UK and will be at Tunbridge Wells (Sunday) for Kent's penultimate group match in the Friends Provident Trophy against Hampshire.

''The focus for Graham and the Kent team is very much on winning a match that would see the Spitfires edge a step closer to a home semi-final in the FPT.

''Discussions with Ford will take place after the match and whilst no further statement will be made until after those discussions have taken place, it is hoped that the popular South African will remain at Canterbury to continue the progress made towards re-establishing Kent as a major force in county cricket.'' UNI