Geoff Lawson front-runner for Pak job

The Pakistan Cricket Board will take a final decision on the new coach at an ad-hoc committee meeting in Karachi on July 16.

Australian fast bowler Geoff Lawson seems to have nudged ahead of compatriots Dav Whatmore and Richard Done in the race to become the Pakistan cricket coach with captain Shoaib Malik favouring him over the other two candidates.

Pakistan's cricket manager Talat Ali, who met with the Chairman of the Pakistan cricket Board to discuss the issue, has also admitted to supporting Lawson.

Ali is confident that the national team will have a fulltime coach before the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in September.

The PCB will discuss the credentials off all three prospective candidates and take a final decision on the new coach at an ad-hoc committee meeting in Karachi on July 16.

"I am sure the board will decide on the new coach soon and he should be able to join us in the training camp for the Twenty20 tournament next month," Ali, himself a former Test batsman, said.

Meanwhile, Whatmore, who was until recently seen as the most likely candidate to get the Pakistan job, had used some of his old contacts in Sri Lanka to get some of the present players to speak out in his favour and back his appointment.

Sources in the Pakistan board said in the end whatever decision the PCB takes on Monday, the feedback it has got from Ali and Captain Shoaib Malik (both said to be in favour of Lawson) will count for a lot.

Sources said the board will also keep in mind the issue of security when appointing the new coach.