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Graham Ford: The players' coach

Text: Haresh Pandya

Given his experience and achievements as a coach, if not as a player, Graham Xavier Ford, who has been shortlisted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, is likely to take up the reins of Team India from Greg Chappell.

Of course, it's a different matter altogether whether Ford will be able to drive Team India forward.

Born in Pietermaritzberg, Natal, on November 16, 1960, Ford, like a number of South African players, excelled in various sports during his younger days. He was a good tennis player, too; so good that he once won the provincial tennis championship for Natal.

Why, is wife Liz is also a former Natal champion in the love-all game. Ford represented Natal in soccer, too. What's more, he is a qualified rugby union referee as well.

Despite his flair for different sports, he wasn't more than an average cricketer. As a right-hand batsman and off-spinner, he represented the Natal B team and figured in only seven first-class matches between 1982-83 and 1989-90.

In those seven matches and 13 innings, he scored just 162 runs at 13.50 without ever scoring a fifty. His highest score was 43. He held three catches and never got to try his bowling arm.