ST JOHN’s (Antigua), Sept 30: Two Australians, Dav Whatmore and John Dyson, are among the candidates to take over as head cricket coach of West Indies team.

Whatmore, who coached Sri Lanka to the World Cup in 1996 before stints with Lancashire & Bangladesh, is favourite. He earlier unsuccessfully applied for post of Pakistan coach. Dyson also has experience with national side, replacing Whatmore as Sri Lanka coach in 2003 before standing down in 2005.

Of local candidates, former Zimbabwe and current Ireland coach Phil Simmons is believed to have applied, as have former KwaZulu-Natal coach Eldine Baptiste, incumbent assistant coaches David Williams & Hendy Springer, Durham’s fast bower and temporary England bowling coach Ottis Gibson, former Bermuda coach Mark Harper and Vincentian Ian Allen.

The main question facing West Indies board is whether to gamble on appointing a foreign coach following problems that increasingly dogged Bennett King, Australian who coached side until he stood down after World Cup. There remains a strong sentiment in the Caribbean that King’s replacement should come from within the region.

Roger Harper might apply, but he has not and is instead being linked with post of coaching director at West Indies Academy.

Harper was Kenya’s coach between January 2006 and this month, but he stood down as he wanted to be closer to his family in Guyana.—Agencies