Simpson arrives, sans baggage

February 12: When Bobby Simpson arrived in Mumbai this morning to hold a discussion with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) presid...

February 12: When Bobby Simpson arrived in Mumbai this morning to hold a discussion with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Raj Singh Dungarpur regarding his new assignment, he was without any baggage.But the schedule of the former Australian skipper, who is here to take over as consultant for Indian cricket, remained unhampered. He was huddled in a deliberation with Dungarpur in the afternoon for two hours.

When quizzed by Express Newsline, Simpson wasn’t quite forthcoming about his plans during his week-long stay in India. “My talks (with BCCI) are still in the initial stages,” he said, adding that the details would be revealed later this week. Simpson is also expected to meet BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele, who arrives here tomorrow.

The appointment of Simpson as consultant is the first significant step taken by the BCCI in its build-up for the 1999 World Cup.

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Credited with guiding the Australian team’s 1987 World Cup triumph as coach, Simpson would only start functioning inhis new role after a few months.

Speaking to mediamen in Australia before his arrival here, he had said: “For starters, I’m not available for the first few months, because I have other matters to deal with.” Thus, his presence during the Australian team’s two-month tour of India has been ruled out.

Simpson has a general coaching brief with the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) to visit six states on a yearly basis.

Also an International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee, Simpson officiated in that capacity during the recent India-Sri Lanka Test series. In fact, it was Simpson — one of the members of the ICC panel to review suspect bowling actions — who reported off-spinners Rajesh Chauhan (India) and Kumara Dharmasena (Lanka) to the sport’s apex body. For the moment, it is Simpson’s baggage, misplaced during a brief stop-over in Hong Kong, that is in the news. It is expected to reach him later this evening, though he is unperturbed about it. “Only hope that it doesn’t raise a stink,” he said,pointing to the clothes he was wearing.