Siddons out of contention for Bangla job

Dhaka, Sep 18 (UNI) Like their Indian counterpart, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is also finding it difficult to appoint a coach for their national side with Aussie Jamie Siddons out of reckoning for the 'pressure cooker' job.

''I don't think he (Siddons) has any chance because his terms and conditions do not match our limits,'' BCB's chairman of cricket operations committee, Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu told the Daily Star.

Siddons, an assistant coach with the Australian national side, has earlier emerged as the frontrunner for the job, but as a result of his high demands, it now seems as if the Bangladesh Board have to start their search afresh.

''It apparently looks like we have to make a new start. We have some new candidates in line but everything is in preliminary stage,'' Mr Lipu said.

The board has been on the lookout for a new coach ever since Dave Whatmore stepped down after the Caribbean World Cup.

Whatmore's last assignment with the Bangla team was the home series against India in May.

However, after Whatmore's departure, Shaun Williams has taken the charge of the Tigers as an interim coach.

Meanwhile, with Siddon's possible exit from the race, another Australian John Harmer remains the only candidate among the three shortlisted to fill in Whatmore's shoes.

Former Zimbabwe captain Dave Houghton had already withdrawn his candidature last month, citing family reasons.

UNI