LAHORE, June 26: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rehired Daryl Foster as coach for Pakistan academies.

A PCB spokesman said that the Australian had confirmed his availability in a meeting with Ramiz Raja, the PCB chief executive, in London last week.

The spokesman also said that a Pakistan academies team would tour the West Indies in 2005 and would also take part as a guest team in the domestic programme of that region.

Coincidentally, Pakistan would also be visiting the Caribbean during the same season.

Similarly, South Africa agreed in principle to host a Pakistan academies outfit within a year and send its team to Pakistan the alternate year, the spokesman said.

Moreover, the Australians have  welcomed  the  visits  by   the Pakistan academies team and deliberations are continuing  with the ACB regarding some Pakistani youngsters attending the academy sessions in Adelaide.

“With our youngsters having already improved their skill and technique at the PCB academies,  this  competitive  environment abroad  would  further enrich their experience and give them exposure of playing conditions in foreign countries,” the spokesman quoted the chief executive as saying.