In the shifting sands of professional cricket, Mickey Arthur will begin a unique job sharing next week that will ultimately place him in charge of Pakistan’s fortunes alongside those of his current employers Derbyshire.
Arthur, 54, is expected to be unveiled next Thursday by the Pakistan Cricket Board as its new national director – a role much like that of Rob Key at the ECB.
The coaching team, selectors and medical staff will all report to him, and he will remotely prepare the team’s strategies and game plans for each of the three international formats as he roams an unforgiving county circuit.
It shows the esteem in which he is held that all parties believe that this imperfect situation can work perfectly.
Even the start date had to fit around a vibrant start to the English domestic season. Pakistan play the first of 10 white-ball internationals against New Zealand in direct conflict with Derbyshire’s second game of their County Championship campaign.
Mickey Arthur, head of cricket in Derbyshire, will be Pakistan’s new national director
Confirmation of Arthur’s dual role will therefore come during the third round of Division Two fixtures when the Midlands club is not involved, a few days off allowing him to potentially be in Lahore to promote a second stint with Pakistan which will be more hands-off than his first, but hopefully no less successful.
Between 2016 and 2019, Arthur took Pakistan to the No. 1 ranking in both Test and Twenty20 cricket and to Champions Trophy glory.
Under this new deal, the South African will continue to prioritize his work as head coach of Derbyshire, which began in early 2022 and saw them finish fifth in the second tier, alongside a record nine wins in Vitality’s final group stage blast. summer.
His loyalty to the province and “the four-year project” he had drawn up led him to reject Pakistan’s initial advances late last year and then dictate his own terms.
As Derbyshire chief executive Ryan Duckett says of a phone call he received from Arthur on Boxing Day: ‘He was very clear from that first conversation that he really enjoyed the Derbyshire project and was determined to see it through . However, he also felt there was some unfinished business with Pakistan and he has maintained a passion for international cricket, which is why we are now wrapping things up.
“When we made the transition to a quality coach like Mickey, we knew we would fall victim to this kind of approach.”
Indeed the club were willing to allow Arthur to coach in T20 leagues abroad, as well as spend a month with the Hundred in August (he was pipped by Mike Hussey for the job of head coach of the Welsh Fire ), to enable him to maximize his performance. contact with top-level players in what is now a 365-day-a-year sport.
Arthur will have little or no involvement in Pakistan’s New Zealand series, leaving Pakistan’s former field coach Grant Bradburn in charge of team affairs. However, the dynamic will change from October, when Arthur is expected to travel to the World Cup with the squad and be the figurehead for the tour to Australia that follows.
Duckett and other Derby board members don’t expect Arthur’s energy to wane as a result of his blunting of focus. He’s already eyeing what the Derbyshire team could look like in 2024, apparently, and this move will only bolster the possibility of more top Pakistani talent Shan Masood and Haider Ali following suit as foreign players.
If he can get the performances he believes possible from a group of players who are so talented ‘they’re about to burst’ then in 12 months he could be in charge of a Division One club plus a international team.
Yorkshire scored 517 in their first innings and still lost to Leicestershire at Headingley
Bonus is small consolation
Yorkshire became the first of the 18 first-class sides to claim all batting runs under the new Championship first innings bonus system, although their game against Leicestershire will be remembered for what happened at the back rather than the front.
Led by Adam Lyth in the absence of club captain Shan Masood and his injured deputy Jonny Tattersall, the home side scored more than five runs per over in posting 517, en route to the 450-run goal of five strikes.
Starting this year, 50 extra runs are required for each point: the initial bonus threshold has been increased from 200 to 250 and the total for a maximum return from five to 450.
The increase in the required pace is in line with England Test captain Ben Stokes’ recent call for domestic cricket to emulate his team’s attacking mentality.
Bowling points remain the same.
However, the level nature of the pitch was put into context as perennial wooden spoonbills Leicestershire completed a new club record chase of 389 in 87 overs to claim their first first-class victory over Yorkshire at Headingley since 1910.
The result put the shoe on the other foot for Yorkshire debutant Shai Hope, whose own exploits on the same ground also made cricket history six years ago. Hope became the first player to hit hundreds in each innings of a first-class match at Leeds as the West Indies chased down 322 to shock England.
Fletcher made Essex president
Essex have appointed Keith Fletcher – the man responsible for overseeing the most successful period in their history – as club president.
As captain, the 78-year-old Fletcher delivered Chelmsford’s first County Championship pennant, added two more and won four limited-overs trophies.
Fletcher replaces former teammate David Acfield in the role.
Somerset’s two-shirt controversy
Sonny Baker, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Ben Green and Tom Banton launch the new shirts
Somerset’s groundbreaking launch of two new Twenty20 shirts for this season’s Vitality Blast – one for batting, the other for bowling – has divided the club’s supporters.
While some on social media have praised the innovation and generosity of a £1500 donation to Love Musgrove Hospital to host a launch video of first-teamers in the new attire playing gang cricket with sick children, the cost of buying of two shirts instead of one was not lost to others.
Sports teams wear home and away kits on a regular basis, of course, but this variation on the theme will see Somerset switch tops – but not colors – between innings during the 2023 season. Both are predominantly black and pink designs.
Criticism has focused on the financial strain parents will face from their cricket-loving children. The shirts, made by Kukri, cost £49.99 for children aged 5-6 and top out at £54.99 for adults.