ICC Champions Trophy: Pakistan getting final batting dose

Woodhill working hard; legend Greenidge teaches how to counter swing.

KARACHI: With the ICC Champions Trophy just three days away, Pakistan are getting their final dosage to improve their batting in England conditions.

Batting has been a grey area for the Pakistan team and even One-Day Internationals (ODI) against Scotland and Ireland have highlighted the concern.

From the camp in Abbottabad to the team’s pre-event training sessions in England, the team management’s focus has been the batting department.

Under head coach Dav Whatmore’s supervision, Misbah’s men were also guided by Javed Miandad, and the task has now been relayed to temporary batting coach Trent Woodhill, with West Indian legendary opener Gordon Greenidge also passing on his expertise.

A senior team official hoped for improvement under Woodhill, whose surprise appointment was also debated upon in the Pakistan cricket fraternity.

“Woodhill is working hard on the players,” the official told The Express Tribune. “He’s a professional and is giving his best to get the maximum out of the batsmen in such a short time. The important thing is that the players are comfortable and responding well.”

Meanwhile, the official said the presence of Greenidge was a source of inspiration for the younger players. “He has a lot of experience and is giving valuable tips mostly on how to counter movement in the air.”

Pakistan meet South Africa in their last warm-up before the Champions Trophy today.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2013.