Mahanama seeks time

Mahanama seeks time
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

KOCHI, October 9: Former Sri Lankan cricket star Roshan Mahanama, who retired in August last year, on Monday said there was an offer to him from the Bangladesh Cricket Board to become the coach of their senior team.``I had preliminary discussions with the Bangladesh board. I have been in touch with them. I will analyse the pros and cons and I need time before I take a final decision,'' Mahanama, who was in the city, told reporters.

He said Eddie Barlow who took over from Gordon Greenidge, was Director Development and also the National Coach of Bangladesh. ``National coach itself is a specialised job,'' he said, adding there should someone exclusively to look at the development side.

``The offer is very good. I might or might not take the job,'' he said.Mahanama, a great fielder in his days, said ``I had been involved with the game for several years and would now like to be with my family. Since I have retired, my priority is my family,'' he said.

He said he was not interested in joining politics. ``Just before the general elections there was an offer to me from a couple of political parties in Sri Lanka to contest the elections.'' Hair to stand again CONTROVERSIAL umpire Darrell Hair will finally have a chance to stand in the middle when he officiates the fourth quarter-final of the ICC Knock-Out Mini World Cup here on Tuesday.

Hair, who just can't seem to avoid controversy, has again caused an uproar in this tournament when Sri Lanka objected to his appointment for their match against West Indies last week and successfully had him removed through the ICC.

A journalist tried calling him all too often but Hair would lift the reciever and put it down. Finally, when he did speak he explained thus: ``The phone was not disconnected. I hung up on you.'' The most he said on the matter was: ``I can't make any comment on it.''