LAHORE, Dec 17: Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shaharyar M. Khan on Wednesday declared that merit alone would be criteria in the decision making process and pledged that a clean administration, transparency in all selections and public access to financial and other matters will be strictly followed.

Mr Khan while addressing a press conference also categorically stated that all the top posts would be filled through advertisements in papers and selection would be made solely on merit.

“Although I have all the powers of hiring and firing but I will follow constitution in making appointments,” he said.

About people working honorarily or part-time for PCB, he said he would see if there was any conflict of interests. “I will review all the cases and it will take some time as hiring clean persons is not an easy task.

There are not many with the ability to run the country’s cricket affairs,” he said.

He said he had already taken steps for re-auditing the board’s accounts by best known auditors and requested Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) to conduct a management survey about required strength of staff for PCB.

“It has been pointed out to me by certain quarters that PCB is overstaffed but we should also take into consideration the increased responsibilities of new stadiums and academies. But a final decision in this regard will be taken in light of LUMS report,” he said.

He believed that only first class cricket should be made the basis for team’s selection, but stressed that he was not satisfied with the standard of country’s first class cricket, which he said must be equal in quality to Australian Sheffield Shield, India’s Ranji Trophy and England’s County cricket.

Mr Khan quoted Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower, who admitted that  playing for Sheffield Shield was more demanding than playing a Test match.

“I think Pakistan is near topping the world list for cricketers who played only one Test and were afterwards ignored without any justification like Mohammad Ramzan, Ijaz Ahmad Junior and many others,” he said.

He admitted that the existing PCB constitution was not perfect and said he would form a commission to carry out its review and make  amendments under a democratic process.

To a question about fixing a deadline for ending adhocism in PCB and making it in line with the constitution, he said he was unable to fix any deadline for the time being.

“It could take months, may be six to eight but I assure you the constitution will meet all the requirements and there will hopefully be no need to make frequent changes,” he added.

Mr Khan said that excellent arrangements would be made for making the forthcoming Indian team’s visit to Pakistan a success.