Lawson leaves for Australia

KARACHI: Raising wide speculation about his relation with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), national coach Geoff Lawson made an unannounced departure to his hometown early on Mon morning.
    
Though no PCB official was available to comment on why Lawson and the Australian trainer with the national team David Dwyer had left so abruptly for Sydney, sources said they had gone on a 10-days vacation.
    
Interestingly, Lawson in last month spent around two weeks at home after visiting Australia and New Zealand with the ICC task team to convince players and officials there to tour Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, which was later postponed till next year.
    
Lawson dodged the media, waiting at the airport.
    
"In the last few days Lawson has apparently spoken to a senior PCB official about his contract that lasts till August, 2009. He might have gone home to have a talk with his family and friends to decide his future as Pakistan coach," one source said.
    
Lawson had said two days back that he was not worried about his future with the Pakistan team as he had lot of offers waiting and his job is not linked with resignation of Dr Nasim Ashraf as the PCB Chairman.
    
But sources say this time there might be more to Lawson and Dwyer's departure for Australia given the existing circumstances in Pakistan cricket.
    
"There is lot of confusion in Pakistan cricket over the fate of the current set up after the resignation of the Chairman and with the sports ministry now interfering a lot in cricket affairs," one source said.