Effoh 300 hrs on type, and the captain had how many 320 hrs?
My money is still with the gentleman who suggested a circling approach with some low level maneuvering to avoid a shower or two on downwind.
You may be surprised to find that fighter pilots in some areas of the world are not the best pilots up there. Don't ask me how it's possible for an ex fighter jock to have problems with basic flying, but I have seen this myself.