29 November 2004	Monday	16 Shawwal 1425

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KARACHI, Nov 28: Strange ways of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) were exposed on Sunday when chief selector Wasim Bari categorically denied that he had been consulted by the Board before finalizing the central contracts for players.

"No I have never been consulted by the PCB before finalizing the central contracts. It is only the coach, the captain and the vice-captain who were consulted before finalizing the contracts. They are main players, not me or the selection committee," Bari told Dawn.

Interestingly, PCB chief Shaharyar M. Khan told a press conference here on Sunday that Bari was also consulted apart from coach Bob Woolmer and captain Inzamamul Haq before finalization of the contracts.

The former Test wicket keeper said the last time he had been contacted was before the departure of the team to Colombo for the Asia Cup and since then he had never been consulted regarding the central contracts, the criteria for selection and who should be offered the contracts.

"I did meet the chairman of the PCB this morning and he told me he would be announcing the names of the players offered central contracts. "I had told him central contracts should be finalized only after the Australian tour and the criteria to select player for the contract should only be performance not seniority.

"The reason for selecting the players for the contracts after the tour of Australia was to assess the real potential of the players. Playing against the Australians will only help us analyse the real talent and strength of the players," Bari said.

However, PCB chief said central contracts had been finalized considering seniority of the players and not performance. Bari said only the selection committee should have been involved while formulating the criteria for the central contracts.

"All over the world only the selection committees are involved in making the criteria for selection of the player for central contracts. But here only the team management has been consulted," he said.

Bari, however, refrained from offering comments on the names of the players and the criteria adopted for the selection, saying "it is not an easy job as it needs one to have a clear and the whole picture."

However, the former Pakistan captain said he would not step down from his position since it was an administrative decision. "Mr Shaharyar is the chairman of the Board and can take administrative decisions. It was not a selection matter, so I will not take it as a personal matter and will not quit as chief selector," Bari said.