Dav Whatmore

Dav Whatmore was born in Sri Lanka before emigrating to Australia as a child. A right-handed batsman and brilliant slip fieldsman, he scored prolifically in the Sheffield Shield for Victoria, going onto play seven Test matches for Australia during the Packer era with modest success. He retired in 1988-89 to pursue a career in coaching.

He masterminded Sri Lanka's famous World Cup win in 1996, and after a brief spell at Lancashire - where he saw them win a one-day double in 1998, and the National League in 1999 - went back for a second term. His greatest challenge, however, came in 2003, when he took over as Bangladesh's coach, and immediately brought a new optimism and discipline to a team that had not won a single match for four years.

But Bangladesh continued to be routinely beaten (often by huge margins), although Whatmore was adamant that the team would turn the corner. Finally, the moment that Bangladesh cricket had been waiting for arrived, when they beat Zimbabwe at Chittagong, and went on to claim their first series win by drawing at Dhaka - Whatmore joining in the joyous scenes on the outfield. He has also improved their one-day fortunes, a victory over India and a comeback from 2-0 down to beat Zimbabwe suggested Whatmore's optimism was bringing rewards.

There continued to be ups and downs. In 2005 his side memorably beat Australia at Cardiff and the following year they gave account a good account of themselves in a home Tests series against the same opposition. But they also struggled against Zimbabwe in the same year. At the 2007 World Cup Bangladesh beat India, helping to send their neighbours packing, and qualified for the Super Eights. It wasn't enough to keep Whatmore interested, and he quit at the end of the tournament.

He was keen to get the India job vacated by Greg Chappell around the same time but was instead offered a role in the country's National Cricket Academy, which he accepted. In 2009 he replaced John Buchanan as the Kolkata Knight Riders coach in the IPL - taking charge for the 2010 and 2011 editions - before moving on to a national role with Pakistan in 2012.
Cricinfo staff March 2012