It is often asked now by the fan in the street what magical power Bob Woolmer possess that the chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) thinks that he is answer to all ills of Pakistan cricket.

With Woolmer riding high, the entire PCB has been reduced to mere rubber-stamp with the South African-based Englishman guiding Pakistan cricket towards nowhere. When will be Woolmer able to deliver Pakistan cricket is anybody's guess? The PCB chief says six months are not enough.

Why six months are not enough when PCB boss and the high-profile coach claim Pakistan is a highly talented team, capable of beating the best. The coach's past record is an open book - all talk and no tangible results. We are trumpeting that we have beaten India in four ODIs on the trot. But surprisingly no one talks about the loss of Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, the un cremonious exit from Champions Trophy, the shameful defeat in the tri-nation in Lahore at the hands of Sri Lankans, the failure in Holland and drawing the two-Test home series against not too hot Sri Lanka.

It is an open secret the legacy Woolmer left with the South African team after his five-year stint. The team was devastated with the match-fixing and betting allegations resulting in the disgraceful exit of the then skipper (late) Hansie Cronje and the ban slapped on Herschelle Gibbs. He has left the South Africans in a mess. An eye opener for PCB.

Had our own home grown Javed Miandad been given similar authority and powers the Pakistan team would have been a combination to reckon with. We have condemned the man because he could not properly use a laptop and the team lost the home Test and ODI series 2-3 and 2-3 against India.

It is mind boggling that when the contract with Woolmer was signed did the PCB define his responsibilities and commitments. He is never in one place and is seldom travelling with the team and "joins" it at the last moment.

Some time he is in Dubai, or in South Africa and more recently in England. No wonder he has kept a few of his South African henchmen as physiotherapist, trainer, and other attendants besides a Pakistani masseur promoted as an assistant manager for the Australian tour.

One achievement of note accomplished by Woolmer since he was so enthusiastically introduced as Pakistan's coach has been his penchant for experiments. Every time Pakistan has taken field he has done nothing but experimented with players' future. The results have been disastrous.

It appears that our selectors have no voice once Woolmer and Inzamamul Haq have spoken. The same has happened when the squad selected for the tour of Australia. Any one who has anything to do with cricket knows that playing Australia on their soil is a most difficult proposition.

Were these factors kept in mind by our selectors or more precisely by the "laptop" knowledge of Woolmer and PCB chief. A look at the team does not suggest that. It is a tour spanning 10 weeks, not a one off Kolkata fun fare.

There we sent so many openers that two had to sit in the hut! Here we have only two specialist openers - Imran Farhat who was in and out in recent days and rookie Salman Butt for Australia. Both lack the experience of the bouncy track in Australia. Yasir Hameed is not an specialist opener but a top order batsman.

Why was Taufiq Omar not considered is and will remain an enigma? At one time rated as the finest opening batsman and may be a prospective captain Tauqir has been sidelined by the coach because the helpless selectors could say nothing.

We have different criteria for considering different players. The young fast bowlers/medium pacers Asif and Khalil have been chosen for their performance in domestic cricket while the triple centurion of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Bazid Khan, who is only 23, has been left out. If performance in Quaid-i-Azam Trophy is not considered for selection then it should be scrapped altogether.

Perhaps the selectors and the coach have little or no confidence in Shoaib Akhtar, Muhammad Sami, Naveedul Hasan and Abdul Razzak. Or they foresee fitness and form problems?.

The middle order is made up of the trusted Inzamam, Yousuf Youhana, the unfairly treated Younis Khan, the young Yasir Hameed and the sedate Asim Kamal who must be wondering when he will be required and when dropped before being finally put in the also list.

The all-rounder compartment is an anomaly - Shoaib Malik is first a brilliant fielder, then a reliable batsman and lastly a useful off spinner. He is no Saqlain Mushtaq, Muttiah Muralitharan or Harbhajan Singh.

Abdul Razzaq can be classified as an all rounder but Naveedul Hassan is basically a bowler who can bat a bit but so can Jason Gillespie and Glenn McGrath. Shahid Afridi has been included but as 17th member and this is not good for a cricketer of his talent who has served Pakistan so well. It is not going to do any good to his confidence.

Danish Kaneira is the only specialist spinner. What happens if he gets injured or becomes ineffective? The most intriguing and questionable decision is the selection of just one wicket keeper for such a long tour. Kamran Akmal is good; his footwork is agile and he is quick of eye. But lack of experience may cause him problems in Australia.

An experienced wicket keeper is a must. The first choice should have been Moin Khan who has experience and the talent. There is still time for the tour selection committee to summon him before the Test series start. The writer is former Test cricketer and chief selector.