PCB appoints Woodhill to solve batting woes

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Recommended by Dav Whatmore, the 42-year-old Woodhill was involved with the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League in Australia and is part of the Delhi Daredevils’ support staff in the ongoing Indian Premier League.

Trent Woodhill has been appointed Pakistan’s batting coach to help them shore up their performance during June’s ICC Champions Trophy in England.

“We have appointed Woodhill as our national team’s batting coach for a period of three weeks and he will help the team during the Champions Trophy,” said Intikhab Alam, Pakistan Cricket Board’s director of international cricket.

Woodhill, the 42-year-old Australian, was involved with the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League in Australia and is part of the Delhi Daredevils’ support staff in the ongoing Indian Premier League.

Woodhill has also served as an assistant coach with the New Zealand team after the 2011 World Cup when John Wright roped him in.

The decision to appoint Woodhill followed serious concerns over Pakistan’s fragile batting which fared disastrously during their 3-0 rout at the hands of South Africa in the Test series in February this year. Pakistan also lost the five-match one-day series 3-2.

Reports in Pakistani media suggested Woodhill’s name was recommended by head coach Dav Whatmore, who took over as coach in March last year.

Woodhill is credited with moulding David Warner, the Australian opener, when he was assistant coach with the New South Wales squad.

Pakistan briefly hired former captain Inzamam-ul Haq as their batting consultant ahead of last year’s tour to India but he quit following a pay dispute. Two other former captains, Zaheer Abbas and Salim Malik, had also applied for the post last year.