Butt under fire for criticising NCA

Karachi:

Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ejaz Butt has come under fire for describing the biomechanics laboratory at the National cricket academy in Lahore as a waste of money and failed project.

Pakistan former captain, Aamir Sohail said he was appalled to read about Butt's statement on the biomechanics equipment and lab set up during the tenure of former Chairman of the board Dr Nasim Ashraf.

"I am willing to buy this biomechanics equipment from the PCB if they think it is useless," Sohail said today.

Butt told a meeting of a sub-committee of the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee in Islamabad that the laboratory and its equipment was a useless project and the machinery was obtained improperly.

But Sohail said that just last year the PCB in a press statement had described the setting of the Biomechanics lab as a landmark project in Pakistan cricket history.

"They have a short memory and I am surprised at how quickly this man changes his statements," the former Test opener said.

"If the PCB thinks it is useless then I am willing to buy the equipment. I will use it myself for the betterment of our players," the former Test added.

Butt told the public accounts committee that the equipment bought by the Board for almost 45 million rupees to set up a biomechanics lab in 2008 was completely useless.

Sohail who resigned as director game development during Butt's tenure due to differences with the PCB chief said he (Butt) was misleading the people with his statements.

Sohail said the board had found a qualified operator last year who worked with the PCB for three months.

"Unfortunately he was sacked by the Board without being paid a single penny for his services."

Sohail said that Bashir Tahir made the lab operational and worked with several players.

"We assessed a lot of players. It was a great induction," he stressed. Aamir said that Tahir was sacked by Butt on the advice of Intikhab Alam.

"I don't know why they did it but it was a poor decision. Biomechanics is a key area in cricket development these days and cannot be ignored."

Tahir also said he was surprised at the behavior of Butt.

"When I first met Butt he was different and after three months when I was not paid a single penny despite making the lab operational I went to him and he was rude and said I was contributing nothing to the board," he said.