Hooper in the mix for Bangladesh coaching role

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has accelerated its hunt for the next head coach even before the January 25 deadline for receiving applications, with the former West Indies captain Carl Hooper in the mix. The BCB is looking to fill the position before the tour of Sri Lanka in March.

"We have sent out an advertisement seeking a coach and that (deadline) ends on January 25, but we are also looking elsewhere," Jalal Yunus, the BCB media committee chairman, told ESPNcricinfo. "We know that Carl Hooper is interested in taking the job."

After retiring from international cricket in 2003, Hooper hasn't had a major international coaching job. Two years ago, he was the batting coach of the Sagicor High Performance Centre in Barbados.

The former Australia fast bowler Craig McDermott is also vying for the position. "Mark Greatbatch (former New Zealand batsman), who had applied when we last looked for a coach, is still interested, as is Craig McDermott," Yunus said.

McDermott is currently Ireland's bowling coach and was understood to have been shortlisted for the role of Somerset coach that was eventually taken by Dave Nosworthy. McDermott had also served as Australia's bowling coach before quitting last May. ESPNcricinfo understands that Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire's director of cricket, remains interested in an international coaching position if the terms are appropriate. He had earlier pulled out of the race after initially showing interest when Bangladesh was looking to replace Stuart Law last year.

Following Richard Pybus' resignation in October, Shane Jurgensen, the bowling coach, took over as the interim coach during the home series against West Indies, Bangladesh's last international assignment. Yunus said that if the BCB cannot find a suitable replacement ahead of the Sri Lanka tour, they will ask Jurgensen to continue.