LAHORE: Pakistan’s new head coach Mickey Arthur vowed on Thursday to lift his new team to the top of world cricket rankings as he did with his native South Africa.
He arrived in Lahore on Wednesday night to take over his new role, which had been vacant since the resignation of Waqar Younes in April following Pakistan’s disastrous first-round exit from the World Twenty20.
“My short term plan is to create a cricket culture and the long term plan is to make the team number one in all three forms of the game,” he said.
Pakistan are currently third in Tests but their standing in limited overs cricket — ninth in one-day internationals and seventh in Twenty20 — leaves much room for improvement.
“Our Test cricket seems to be very good at the moment,” said Arthur.
“If we can play well outside the subcontinent that means that the team’s really going forward.”
The 48-year-old had a glorious coaching career with South Africa between 2005-2010, taking them to the summit of Test rankings in 2008, following series wins in England and Australia.
He also lifted them to number one in one-day cricket in 2007.
His19-month tenure as Australia’s coach ended on a bitter note when he was sacked a few days before the 2013 Ashes in England after his team crashed out of the group stages of the ICC Champions Trophy.
Arthur’s first task as Pakistan’s coach will be to help the team face an ascendant England side on their home turf in a four-match Test series starting at Lord’s on July 14.
Pakistan also have series against the West Indies in United Arab Emirates (September-October), two Tests in New Zealand (November) followed by three Tests and six one-day matches in Australia.
The South African, who has been given a two-year contract, which is negotiable after 12 months, also praised fast bowler Mohammad Amir, due to play his first Test since being convicted in a spot-fixing case on the team’s last tour to England in 2010.
“Amir is a fantastic professional,” he said. “I am only interested in making him the best and other stuff is irrelevant to me and what people say about him.”
Amir gets UK visa
Fast bowler Mohammad Amir has received a UK visa and will travel with Pakistan to England on June 18 for the four-Test cricket series.
The Pakistan Cricket Board says in a statement on Thursday that it has been “officially informed that the UK government has approved the visa” for Amir.
There was some doubt because Amir served half of his six-month jail sentence in England when he was banned for five years for spot-fixing in 2010 at Lord’s along with teammates Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt.
It will be at Lord’s on July 14 when Amir could play his first Test in six years.
Arthur vows to lift Pakistan cricket team to No.1
Arthur vows to lift Pakistan cricket team to No.1
NEOM concede at the death for the second week in a row as Al-Taawoun salvage late draw
- NEOM narrowly lost to Al-Nassr 1-0 last weekend after Mohamed Simakan scored an injury-time winner
- Al-Taawoun followed up with a late equalizer by Mohammed Al-Kuwaykibi to deny them three points
RIYADH: The Saudi Pro League returned for Matchday 26, with the table beginning to take its final shape as the season enters its final quarter. The title contenders kick off on Friday and Saturday, but Thursday’s action focused on a clash between upper mid-table sides NEOM and Al-Taawoun, alongside three relegation-battlers — Al-Najma, Damac and Al-Kholood — attempting to improve their standings.
In Tabuk, NEOM played out a 2-2 draw with Al-Taawoun, this season’s surprise package under the returning Pericles Chamusca. After a brilliant start to the campaign that saw them spend much of the season in the top four, a poor run of just one win in their last eight games has followed.
Al-Taawoun’s late equaliser was vital in their bid to maintain a spot in the top five. With Al-Ittihad lurking just three points behind and yet to play this weekend, every point matters for the Wolves of Qassim. Regardless, it has become a painful second half of the season for Chamusca’s side, as they now sit 12 points behind the top four.
After a heroic performance from Luis Maximiano against Al-Nassr last weekend, NEOM were unfortunate to leave Riyadh empty-handed after conceding at the death. There were still plenty of positives from the defeat, as Christophe Galtier’s squad appear to have finally hit second gear this season.
Calm and collected against Al-Nassr, they repeated the same approach against Al-Taawoun. Knowing their opponents thrive on space in the transition, NEOM prevented them from accessing wingers Marin Petkov and Biel, leaving star striker Roger Martinez isolated for most of the match.
Amadou Koné and Abdoulaye Doucouré did their part to disrupt the centre of Al-Taawoun’s block, with the former driving forward and the latter drifting in between the lines to create the opener. In the 23rd minute, Al-Taawoun’s defence were pulled apart as Luciano Rodríguez met Doucouré’s precise through ball to slot home.
NEOM maintained their composure throughout the match, but it took a wonder strike from Martinez to bring the visitors level in the 70th minute, the Colombian producing a superb strike from distance.
It only took six minutes for NEOM to respond. Saïd Benrahma broke down the Al-Taawoun defence once again, releasing Alexandre Lacazette for a powerful finish to restore the hosts’ lead.
Despite the strong performance from NEOM, they ultimately fell victim to another late setback. Substitute Mohammed Al-Kuwaykibi surged down the flank in stoppage time before cutting inside and curling a precise finesse shot beyond Maximiano to salvage a point.
Elsewhere, Damac continued their resurgence under Fabio Carrille with a 3-1 victory over Al-Najma, who remain rooted to the bottom of the table. The win moves Damac six points clear of Al-Riyadh in the relegation zone, while Al-Najma sit 14 points from safety with eight matches remaining.
Meanwhile, Al-Hazem secured a late victory after Abdulaziz Al-Dwehe netted an 86th-minute winner in a 2-1 triumph over Al-Kholood. It was a frustrating night for the Saudi Pro League’s all-time leading scorer Omar Al-Somah, who missed a penalty for the winners in the 60th minute.
Saudi Pro League action resumes on Friday, with Al-Fayha hosting Al-Ettifaq and Al-Riyadh welcoming Al-Ittihad at 10:00pm. The headline fixture of the evening — kicking off at the same time — sees second-placed Al-Ahli travel to face fourth-placed Al-Qadsiah. Victory for Al-Ahli against tough opposition would strengthen their title push, while defeat for Al-Qadsiah could effectively end their unlikely championship hopes.
