The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : We got to put our best foot forward: Whatmore

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Friday, May 25, 2007
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We got to put our best foot forward: Whatmore

Special Correspondent

DHAKA : There was no trace of emotions as Dav Whatmore, coach of Bangladesh for four years, and now eyeing the job with India, spoke in staccato style, keen to get over the interaction with media as quickly as possible.

His answers, brusque at times — "I can't answer that" or "I have just answered that,'' have displeased the media at times, but at heart the man has always meant well. The endeavour has been to motivate a team, that has just begun to learn to win in international cricket. His relationship with the Bangladesh Cricket Board, in his words, continues to be healthy.

He admitted he tried hard not to be too emotional. "It is a serious game of cricket (tomorrow) and I hope we do not repeat certain mistakes from the past. We want to play the game as well as we can.

"We want to be as good as we can. We are playing against a very good side and the focus cannot be on result-oriented issues or result-oriented statements. That would take away the focus from the real issue. We got to put our best foot forward,'' Whatmore said.

He accepted his departure with the grace that marked his tenure. "It is never a job that is finished. Cricket continues. There is not a time when you can say it comes to a stop. It is a job that is never completed. I have tried to focus on making a team that can compete in all conditions.''

He described Bangladesh as a team with a future. "We need to win more and reach a better team combination. It will happen in time. It is not that I want to get out of Bangladesh because of the food, the traffic, or the country.

"It has been four years and I too need to have a break, to attend to family. The doors are open. I am leaving on very good terms and a time comes when it needs to happen, you need to leave.''

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