Geoff Lawson has been sacked as coach of Pakistan. It had been announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board earlier this week that Lawson's contract would not be renewed when it expired in April 2009. After a meeting between Lawson and the new PCB chairman Ijaz Butt today it has been decided that the dismissal will be immediate. Lawson will be given three months advance salary as a severance.
In his first press conference since taking over as PCB chairman Butt claimed he "had no utility" for Lawson, and confirmed he intended to sack him. Though he softened that position later in the week after several prominent ex-Pakistan internationals came to the defence of the incumbent coach, it now seems that Lawson's position had been made untenable.
Lawson himself has defended his record as coach since succeeding the late Bob Woolmer last year, stating "We [Pakistan] have got the best record in world cricket in one-day internationals and we're 21 (wins) and nine (defeats) since I've taken over." He also coached the side to the final of the inaugural world Twenty20 tournament, which they lost to India.
Butt, who reportedly described Lawson as a "useless person", said earlier this week that the coach had failed to produce the desired results and added that he firmly believed that a Pakistani could do a better job.
Lawson had claimed not to have had any contact with Butt since he took office, and had been seeking a meeting with the Board to clarify his position. That finally appears to have occurred this morning. Butt had been reluctant to sack Lawson only because of the financial loss the Board would suffer as a consequence.
News Courtsey: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/
