Will be difficult to engage Whatmore now: BCA official

A senior Baroda Cricket Association official on Monday said that it will be now "difficult to engage" sexagenarian Australian coach Dave Whatmore with the BCCI Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) barring 60-plus individuals from taking part in the training camp.

"It will be difficult for us now to engage him (Whatmore)," the official told PTI, a day after BCCI sent the SOPs to state associations for resumption of domestic cricket amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Whatmore, 66, was appointed by Baroda as the coach of its Ranji Trophy team and also Director of Cricket in April this year.

As per the SOPs, "individuals who are over the age of 60 years, viz. support staff, umpires, ground staff, and those individuals with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, lung disease, weakened immunity, etc should be considered vulnerable and are believed to have a higher risk of severe Covid-19."

"All such individuals should be discouraged from participating in the camp activities until suitable guidelines are issued by the Government," read one of the guidelines from BCCI's 100-page SOP.

The official said the issue of Whatmore, a world cup winning coach, will be discussed at the BCA's next Apex Council meeting, which is likely to be held at the month end.

"Right now there is no urgency. We aren't paying Whatmore. The issue will be taken up during the Apex Council meeting," explained the senior official.

According to the official, no other names have been discussed at the moment.

Apart from Whatmore, Bengal coach Arun Lal will also be affected as he is 65 years.