LAHORE: In the third phase of the restructuring of the domestic set-up, the Pak­istan Cricket Board (PCB) is starting the process of appointing head coaches of 90 city associations from Sat­u­rday through advertisement.

After keeping shut the domestic structure for the last 18 months for apparently no solid reason, the PCB in the first phase formed the First Board of the six Provincial Cricket Association in February and in the second phase it has started the process of appointing the chief executive of the six associations.

And in the third phase the appointment of 90 head coaches to run 90 city associations is going to start. The process to appoint general manager and accounts managers for each provincial association is yet to start.

While PCB’s policy of closing down departmental cricket has left thousands of cricketers unemployed, the Board claims preference will be given to first-class and former International cricketers in the selection of 90 coaches, to again open opportunities for them to earn their livelihood from the game of cricket.

“The PCB today opened 90 head coach positions for the city cricket association sides. Following restructuring of the domestic structure, the PCB had promised to provide more job opportunities to former cricketers and this step comes at the back of the chief executives’ positions for the six Cricket Associations,” the PCB stated in a press release issued on Friday.

“Every coach will be responsible to run their city cricket association’s senior and U-19 teams. For the role, international and first-class cricketers would be preferred and those who have PCB Level-II coaching qualification are encouraged to apply for 12-month contracts, which is in line with the duration of tenures at the Cricket Association level.”

The PCB hopes the appointments of chief executives, general manager and account officers of the six provincial associations, besides 90 head coaches of the cities will be completed by the end of May this year.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2021