India nominate Ford as new coach

Ford pipped rival candidate John Emburey for the India job

South African Graham Ford has been nominated as the new head coach of the Indian cricket team.

Ford was chosen ahead of rival John Emburey after both men appeared before a seven-man panel in Madras (Chennai).

Subject to final agreement, he is now set to leave his current post with English county side Kent to take up an initial one-year contract.

Ford coached South Africa from 1999 to 2002, guiding them to eight Test series wins out of 11.

He was sacked following back to back defeats by Australia but resurfaced in England in January 2005 when he was appointed director of cricket by Kent, who last year awarded him a contract extension which tied him to the club until the end of the 2008 season.

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Despite that, they agreed to allow him to travel to India to discuss their vacant position, which he described last week as "the biggest coaching challenge in cricket".

The panel was headed by Board of Control president Sharad Pawar, and also included former India captains Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and Srinivas Venkataraghavan.

Their decision has to be ratified by the board's working committee at a meeting in Delhi on Tuesday, but that is likely to be a formality.

Ford will be India's third successive overseas coach following New Zealand John Wright and Chappell, from Australia.

"He will let us know next week when he can join us," said board treasurer N Srinivasan.

Ford is due back in Kent on Sunday for their Friends Provident Trophy one-day match against Hampshire at Tunbridge Wells, and a statement on the club's wesbite suggests they still hope to persuade him to stay.

"We have had no communication from Graham whatsoever and expect to talk to him when he arrives home.

"Once we have completed the match against Hampshire, we hope to sit down with Graham then and hear what he has to say," said chief executive Paul Millman.

If Kent do agree to release him, his first assignment with India could be in England, where they will play three Tests and seven one-day internationals from July and September.