Coaches make up all-star XI

Most of the focus at the Cricket World Cup is on the players, not the coaches.

But a team drawn from the ranks of the dugout denizens - call them the Tracksuit XI - would not disgrace themselves.

In fact, a team consisting of some of those who once did and now teach could win more games than a few of the teams playing in the tournament. Like England.

Gary Kirsten and Marvan Atapattu - South Africa's batting consultant and Sri Lanka's coach - would make a fine opening pair: a left- and right-handed combination who were never given the chance to let fly with the impunity that modern batsmen enjoy because of one-day cricket's absurd playing conditions.

Grant Flower, Pakistan's batting coach, is a bulletproof No3. Proteas consultant Mike Hussey, Australian coach Darren Lehmann and Bangladesh bowling coach Heath Streak would round out the top six.

And how about an attack spearheaded by West Indies bowling coach Curtly Ambrose and Pakistan coach Waqar Younis? Or should that be Shane Bond, New Zealand's bowling coach, and Allan Donald? Whichever way around matters not. For a spinner look no further than England spin coach Mushtaq Ahmed.

Phil Simmons, Ireland's coach, and Australian bowling coach Craig McDermott could crack the nod as alternatives to Streak and Bond.

There's no obvious wicketkeeper in the side, but if Kirsten could do it once - in an ODI against India in Mumbai in December 1996 - he can do it again.

Conversely, the team would be spoilt for choice for a captain. One of Kirsten, Atapattu, Hussey, Lehmann or Waqar could do the job.

Head coaches like our own Russell Domingo, Mike Hesson of New Zealand and England's Peter Moores would be forgiven for taking a sideways smirk at all of the above.

After all, they do not have a Test cap or a one-day international appearance between them. Of the three, only Moores has played first-class cricket.

Which, given England's first-round exit from the tournament despite Moores' 231 first-class games, could make Domingo and Hesson wonder whether the fact that they come without preconceived ideas of how things should be done - or were done - is probably why their teams remain in the running.