England extends Lloyd`s coaching tenure (7 Aug 1996)

7 August 1996

England extends Lloyd`s coaching tenure

Our Correspondent

David Lloyd, who took over the role of England coach in May from Raymond Illingworth, has been retained for the upcoming tours of Zimbabwe and New Zealand, from November 1996 to March 1997.

Peter Lever, who has been functioning as England`s bowling coach, has however tendered his resignation.

Lever refused to comment on allegations of a rift between Lloyd and himself. The England coach, for his part, said that the conflict, supposedly centering around the patriotic music and positive slogans he had introduced as part of the dressing room ambience, was a media creation.

Insiders indicate that Lloyd is almost certain to appoint Ian Botham, who had earlier made an abortive bid to become an England selector, as one of his specialist coaches. "I can`t say much at this time, but I will definitely be getting my own men in," said Lloyd. "While I had no difference of opinion with Peter, he was Illingworth`s appointee and he has now tendered his resignation."

Lloyd`s acceptance of the extended tenure, though, will depend on the terms of his contract. "I would like to know what the package is, and whether it goes beyond the winter," the England coach pointed out.

Such an extended tenure, which Lloyd hopes to get, will see him mastermind England`s strategy during the six Test Ashes series in early 1997, followed by a tour of the West Indies and a home series against South Africa in 1998.

"Playing Australia is the ultimate challenge, and I am looking forward to facing them," Lloyd said, though it is by no means certain whether his coaching brief will last that long.

Lloyd indicated that he was happy with the recent Acfield Report which, among other things, suggested that the England coach should have no vote in team selection. "It makes my position easier with a view to the players," the England coach pointed out.

Lloyd`s first priority, though, is going to be to figure out ways and means of combating Pakistan in the second Test beginning Thursday at Headingley. And he indicated that the electronic bowling machine was being extensively used to help the home side batsmen prepare to counter the fast swinging yorkers of Waqar Younis, which had devastated them in the first Test at Lord`s.

"This is the first time we have used the bowling machine, we are trying to simulate the in-swinging yorker," said Lloyd. "We know what we will go up against with Waqar, and we are trying to combat that."

While not going into specifics, Lloyd said that it would be an idea to stand a yard closer - in other words, outside the batting crease. "But the only man who was brave enough to do that against pace like Waqar`s is Brian Close," said Lloyd. "The only other way is to stand back, inside the batting crease, in order to get more time to assess the swing."

The aim, said Lloyd, is to try and level the series at Headingley. "It would be terrific to go to the Oval with the series squared at one all."

But the bigger challenge, the England coach says, is "to make England the best team in the world over the next two years."

He still has to get the side through two Tests against Pakistan before he can focus on the greater objective, though.

Source :: Rediff On The NeT (https://www.rediff.co.in)