Pat howard offers to make peace

Under-fire Cricket Australia performance chief, Pat Howard, has offered to make peace with the sacked Australian vice-captain Shane Watson who had hit back after the former questioned his commitment to the national side. Howard, a former Rugby Union top official, had said that Watson acted in the best interests of the Australian team ‘sometimes’, just after crisis hit the team following the sacking of four players, including the all-rounder, for breach of discipline. More consternation came when he indicated there was strain between Watson and captain Michael Clarke by saying the two ‘have got to sort their issues out’. Howard’s comments suggesting a Watson-Clarke divide were not received well in India with Clarke maintaining that his relationship with Watson was in good health.  Howard said he was willing to travel to Sydney at a time of Watson’s choosing for peace talks. ‘I’d like to go down there and see him when the opportunity presents,’ Howard said.