October 17, 2003	Friday	Sha'aban 20, 1424

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LAHORE, Oct 16: Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board, Lt General, Tauqir Zia said on Thursday that the dark era of infighting and disunity in the Pakistan cricket team has been closed for ever through the rebuilding process.

“There was infighting and other negative elements in the team and we inherited them but putting the team through rebuilding has helped in ending that dark era,” he told newsmen after book launching of “Chequered History Of Pakistan Cricket” written by former Test cricketer Shuja-ud-Din Butt and Muhammad Salim Pervaz.

The PCB chief expressed the hope that the team would perform better in the test matches against South Africa.

Referring to Pakistan 3-2 defeat to South Africa in the one-day series, after winning two games in a row, it lost the third match due to miscalculations and in the next two games through injuries and players failed to show the necessary application.

“I hope it (team) would do better in near future,” he said.

Tauqir said the rebuilding process was very much on and it has not stopped and the impression being given in this regard was totally wrong.

“Re-calling of senior players does not mean that we are off the track, we are very much on the path, we are just blending experience with the young players which is very essential,” referring to the re-call of wicket-keeper batsman Moin Khan and couple of other players who were called for the first Test commencing from Friday.

PCB chief denied any differences between coach Javed Miandad and chief selector, Aamir Sohail and said both the officials enjoy complete harmony and working for the betterment of the team.—APP

Aftab Gilani adds: The book titled “Chequered History Of Pakistan Cricket” in which the fifty years of Pakistan test cricket from 1952 to 2002 has been analysed and evaluated was launched at a ceremony held at the Quaid-i-Azam Library Hall.

The voluminous 642 page book is co-authored by a former Test cricketer Shuja-ud-Din Butt and Mohammad Saleem Parvez and dedicated to former Pakistan skipper late A. H. Kardar.

The book covers each and every fixture of the Pakistan cricket team at home and abroad captured by the vivid memory of the authors, mainly Shuja-ud-Din, during these years of turbulent cricket.

Shuja, was a member of Pakistan team led by A. H. Kardar which defeated England at the Oval in 1954 and manager of team during on its tours of Australia, Fiji and West Indies.

The book deals critically with the ups and downs which tormented Pakistan cricket and has also touched upon some of the realities behind the cricket scenes for the debacles.