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Bowling Tragic
Australian Chris Batson will head home on July 25, leaving behind a big question mark over his premature exit as the national bowling coach.
The National Sports Council (NSC) hired him on a four-year contract in 2004 and announced in May that he had resigned. The Australian, however, says he did not resign but was forced out.
The NSC, he said, had offered him a job as a roving coach despite having recruited American Joe Slowinski to do the same job. Batson turned down the offer.
However, he says he did tender his resignation in February but had been persuaded to withdraw it shortly after.
Even the NSC has not given answers on why Batson had to go. NSC director-general Datuk Dr Ramlan Aziz only stated that MTBC (Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress) did not wish to have him as a coach anymore.
Yesterday, Batson summed up his stay in Malaysia. "Ideals and reality are so far apart here."
He was not the first to feel that way. Many a foreign coach has come to Malaysia with grand ideas and plans only to be mired in controversy before leaving in acrimony.
There have been five other bowling coaches – Canadian Sid Allen and Americans Jim Porter, Mike Moore and Bill Hall and Swede Mats Karlsson – and most ended their stint in Malaysia on a bitter note.
Batson says he had been driven by truth and honesty.
"I am a straight forward man. If I am unhappy with things that are not right, I work towards setting them right," he said.
Batson was known for his no-nonsense approach and under his tenure, several big-name bowlers faced disciplinary action.
First, Zulmazran Zulkifli and Zandra Aziela Ibrahim Hakimi were suspended for a month for keeping late nights; seniors Shalin Zulkifli and Sarah Yap were suspended for three months for indiscipline during the World Championships; four bowlers – Aaron Kong, Azidi Ameran, Choy Poh Lai and Esther Cheah – were warned for the overly-boisterous celebrations after the victory banquet during the Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) Tour Grand Finals in Jakarta in February.
Under Batson, Malaysian bowling also enjoyed good times with a string of good results and with many new and young faces making the grade.
Among the newcomers were Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman, Aaron Kong, Adrian Ang and Zatil Iman.
Seasoned campaigners Alex Liew and Daniel Lim enjoyed a high in their careers under Batson by winning several Open titles; Esther won a gold at the World Championships; there was a record number of Malaysian qualifiers for two consecutive years in the Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) Tour; Zulmazran and Alex became the first two men to be ranked as Asia's best; and Malaysia won three gold at the Manila SEA Games.
Despite his premature exit as national coach, Batson had good things to say about two bowlers under his charge.
"Shalin and Poh Lai are the most committed and dedicated bowlers. They are hard-working. In fact, I had recommended that only Shalin should be in the elite squad," said Batson.
The MTBC, however, has four bowlers – Wendy Chai, Zandra, Esther, Poh Lai – in the elite squad.
With Batson leaving, Holloway Cheah is currently the national chief coach. He is assisted by Canadian Bill Rowe, a ball specialist.
The National Sports Council (NSC) hired him on a four-year contract in 2004 and announced in May that he had resigned. The Australian, however, says he did not resign but was forced out.
The NSC, he said, had offered him a job as a roving coach despite having recruited American Joe Slowinski to do the same job. Batson turned down the offer.
However, he says he did tender his resignation in February but had been persuaded to withdraw it shortly after.
Even the NSC has not given answers on why Batson had to go. NSC director-general Datuk Dr Ramlan Aziz only stated that MTBC (Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress) did not wish to have him as a coach anymore.
Yesterday, Batson summed up his stay in Malaysia. "Ideals and reality are so far apart here."
He was not the first to feel that way. Many a foreign coach has come to Malaysia with grand ideas and plans only to be mired in controversy before leaving in acrimony.
There have been five other bowling coaches – Canadian Sid Allen and Americans Jim Porter, Mike Moore and Bill Hall and Swede Mats Karlsson – and most ended their stint in Malaysia on a bitter note.
Batson says he had been driven by truth and honesty.
"I am a straight forward man. If I am unhappy with things that are not right, I work towards setting them right," he said.
Batson was known for his no-nonsense approach and under his tenure, several big-name bowlers faced disciplinary action.
First, Zulmazran Zulkifli and Zandra Aziela Ibrahim Hakimi were suspended for a month for keeping late nights; seniors Shalin Zulkifli and Sarah Yap were suspended for three months for indiscipline during the World Championships; four bowlers – Aaron Kong, Azidi Ameran, Choy Poh Lai and Esther Cheah – were warned for the overly-boisterous celebrations after the victory banquet during the Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) Tour Grand Finals in Jakarta in February.
Under Batson, Malaysian bowling also enjoyed good times with a string of good results and with many new and young faces making the grade.
Among the newcomers were Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman, Aaron Kong, Adrian Ang and Zatil Iman.
Seasoned campaigners Alex Liew and Daniel Lim enjoyed a high in their careers under Batson by winning several Open titles; Esther won a gold at the World Championships; there was a record number of Malaysian qualifiers for two consecutive years in the Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) Tour; Zulmazran and Alex became the first two men to be ranked as Asia's best; and Malaysia won three gold at the Manila SEA Games.
Despite his premature exit as national coach, Batson had good things to say about two bowlers under his charge.
"Shalin and Poh Lai are the most committed and dedicated bowlers. They are hard-working. In fact, I had recommended that only Shalin should be in the elite squad," said Batson.
The MTBC, however, has four bowlers – Wendy Chai, Zandra, Esther, Poh Lai – in the elite squad.
With Batson leaving, Holloway Cheah is currently the national chief coach. He is assisted by Canadian Bill Rowe, a ball specialist.
