“I’ve told our batting group, that they bat better outside the UAE" : Mickey Arthur

[MenInG]

Speaking to the media in South Africa today

It's good to be back. We have come here with an exciting young Test team that is starting to gel. We think we have a good chance here

"Its good to be back [in South Africa]; The New Zealand series [result] was tough for us and hard for us to take because we sort of dominated for 75% of those Tests but ended up losing the series 2-1" : Mickey

"But for one hour of each of the 1st and 3rd Test matches, we would have been sitting in a totally different position"

"This is not to discredit New Zealand at all; I thought they were outstanding and played really good cricket"

"We've come here with a very exciting young team"

"This is a team that is starting to gel well together and we have been playing unbelievable white ball cricket"

"Our 50-over team is on the way up, our Twenty20 team's been exceptional"

Pictures source is Twitter:

 

[Mamoon]

3-0 and a subsequent sacking/resignation is written all over Sarfraz’s face already.

 

[Khanusman1]

Even winning 1 match would be a miracle

 

[Sher Khan]

3-0 and a subsequent sacking/resignation is written all over Sarfraz’s face already.

Judging from his facial expressions. It looks like the series has already ended. Of course st 3-0.

 

[MenInG]

3-0 and a subsequent sacking/resignation is written all over Sarfraz’s face already.

I never agree with your usual dire predictions but the Sarfaraz body language not looking great - could be jetlag.

 

[Madplayer]

Even winning 1 match would be a miracle

Winning? Drawing 1 game would be a satisfactory and miraculous result. But you can never say anything in cricket. There can always be improbable upsets.

 

[Mr. Cricket]

Why sarfarz body language is looking like he already lost. He should learn from Kohli who is still pumped for aus series even after loosing 2-1 and 4-1 .

 

[Madplayer]

Why sarfarz body language is looking like he already lost. He should learn from Kohli who is still pumped for aus series even after loosing 2-1 and 4-1 .

You cant gauge body language in a pic.

 

[BilalSez]

Sarafaraz face. Omg. He is captain of National cricket team. I am so embarrass.

 

[MenInG]

Apparently as per a SA journo, he answered a question in Afrikaans and the look on Sarfaraz's face was priceless...

 

[Mute Witness]

SAs batting line up 4 years ago had peak Smith, Amla, Kallis, and AB. And we had a bowling line up led by irfan and Rahat.

We may be crap but SA are hardly convincing either. Also we're not carrying Hafeez. There's definitely a chance of upsetting a Test.

 

[Pete Rose]

I predict one win and two bad losses.

 

[PakPremi]

Forget Sarfraz you fans look more defeated and then there are some so called fans that even paint Pak wins as heavy defeats. Given our lack of resources, Ill judged squad selections. and lack of developed players Pak team needs encouragement not such point scoring comments.

 

[Zeeraq]

New quotes added.

 

[Stalin]

Just like Australia, this is one of the weakest SAF team I've saw going into their home test. Get Markram early, and stop Faf getting a biggy and we might just see pakistan winning their first ever series in south Africa.

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

I predict one win and two bad losses.

I predict Pakistan will fare better with red ball than white.

I predict a 2-1 test win and limited over losses.

 

[Kashmirilion]

Ahahah what a joke really funny this is. Wait is it a joke? Is he playing with me or serious? We couldn't defeat a New Zealand on our home pitches yet in South africa.....

 

[MenInG]

Mickey Arthur’s grasp of Afrikaans was given a rare test on Friday as he explained how he believed the Pakistan team he coaches can win a Test series in the land of his birth.

Arthur’s brief Afrikaans replies at a press engagement, brought a laugh out Pakistan’s captain Sarfraz Ahmed, but Arthur was deadly serious about his belief that the tourists could beat South Africa.


“We have a very exciting young team that’s starting to gel well together,’ said Arthur. “We’ve played unbelievable white ball cricket, our 50-over team is on the up, our T20 has been exceptional, but we are trying to build up a Test team at the moment, it’s young but very exciting. We really think we have a good chance out here.”

Pakistan’s recent record suggests Arthur’s optimism may be misplaced. In the last two years, they’ve won six out of 16 Tests and lost nine times. As has become the norm for teams from the sub-continent that tour this country, it’s the batting that will be under heavy scrutiny on pitches the South African team hopes will hard and quick.

However Arthur, who coached the Proteas between 2005 and 2010, feels his team – particularly the batsmen – will enjoy themselves here. “I’ve told our batting group, that they bat better outside the United Arab Emirates (where Pakistan plays its home matches) than they do in the UAE. They batted exceptionally well in England. There are some very talented young batters there, who bat on off stump not on leg stump any more, cover the bounce, the pace and swing, they play very, very well in these conditions.”

Pakistan drew that series in England 1-1 earlier this year, with their batting failing badly in the second Test. That highlighted an area Arthur has been working hard on to rectify. “I hate the word inconsistency because everything we are trying to do with Pakistan is to make us more consistent and with that comes our training, our structures, our roles and role clarity.”

The same questions that there are about the batting there won’t be about the bowling with the tourists boasting an impressive array of talent that their coach feels can put South Africa under pressure. “Our attack is exceptionally skillful in all conditions. We know we have an attack that can comfortably take 20 wickets, our challenge is to score 350, 400...if we can get runs on the board we know we can take 20 wickets in all conditions.”

Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali and the young left-armer Shaheen Shah Afridi provide pace and Mohammad Abbas – who is still rehabbing after a shoulder injury – is an exceptionally skillful bowler capable of extracting any assistance there is in a surface much like Vernon Philander.

The first Test will be played at SuperSport Park in Centurion starting on Boxing Day.

https://www.iol.co.za/sport/cricket...fident-pakistan-can-beat-the-proteas-18510056

 

[ManFan]

Sarfraz is already defeated.

 

[UN talkz]

2-1, Pak gonna win Test Series
Peace ✌

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Arthur looks much fitter than Sarfraz which is

Seeing how Arthur was earlier when he started off till now, he surely is one who took the fitness regime seriously.

 

[CricketDon]

3-0 waiting for usz Steyn and Rabada to get best ever match figures with averages below 15.

 

[Itachi]

I for once, think that Pakistan has better chance this time around. Reasons will be a bit odd though.

Pakistani batsman make any bowler look like legendary. on that note, steyn or rabada can't perform any better than Vinay kumar. So there goes advantage of saf.

On batting side, saf is weak. So Pakistan has upper hand.

 

[Arsalan Pro]

I for once, think that Pakistan has better chance this time around. Reasons will be a bit odd though.

Pakistani batsman make any bowler look like legendary. on that note, steyn or rabada can't perform any better than Vinay kumar. So there goes advantage of saf.

On batting side, saf is weak. So Pakistan has upper hand.

Who is Vinay Kumar?

 

[leg-side-flick]

Sarfraz is already defeated.

Give him a break, I don't like him but people here are judging body language through a picture

 

[indianpanacea]

Jus keep your lineup as
6 fakhar
5 Babar
4 Asad
3 Haris
2 Azhar
1 Rizwan....

 

[MMHS]

I tend to agree with him here (regarding batting), but that's probably universal - every or most team/batsman will play better elsewhere than UAE, which is a curse for PAK cricket. Had it not been there, I am sure PCB would have been forced to find an alternative venue and BD, SRL, SAF, ENG, NZ.... Mars, Moon, Hell...... any place in God's creation is better to play cricket than those burnt sand bed.

The NZ comment was totally uncalled for, at the end, Kiwis won fair a squire - the counter argument can be that had Kiwis won the toss at Dubai, it would have been 0-3 and had Paine won both tosses, it could have been 0-1 as well. Long back, I can recall a Grand slam Tennis game, where winner won it 7-6, 0-6, 1-6, 7-6, 6-4 .... comfortably behind in total points won and break points won - so these 75% dominance hardly matters being host. He should look for the reasons why a SENA team beat them in 1st & 3rd Test, after being outclassed in 2nd one - instead of playing for gallery, a little soul searching should help PAK better for the next 2 assignment against SRL & BD in UAE; though I don't expect him to be in charge of PAK after WC.

More than defeated, I feel Sarfraz is irritated that Arthur is talking too much and too long, should close it quickly .......... may be they called the press con just before lunch or dinner.

 

[Ummii]

After this series, I want this batting lineup.

Test

- Fakhar Zaman (c)
- Azhar Ali/Shan Masood
- Haris Sohail
- Babar Azam
- Fawad Alam/Asad Shafiq
- Saud Shakeel
- Muhammad Rizwan/Sarfraz Ahmed
- Zafar Gohar/Shadab Khan/Faheem Ashraf
- Yasir Shah
- Muhammad Abbas
- Hasan/Shaheen/Amir


ODI:

- Fakhar Zaman
- Zeeshan Malik/ Omair Yousuf
- Babar Azam
- Haris Sohail
- Saud Shakeel
- Muhammad Rizwan
- Shadab Khan
- Faheem Ashraf ( as a bowler)
- Hasan Ali/Muhammad Amir
- Shaheen Afridi


T20

- Fakhar Zaman
- Rizwan Husain (I know he is new and have to prove himself a lot but I think he would be great)
- Babar Azam
- Zeeshan Malik
- Asif Ali
- Rizwan or any new face
- Faheem
- Shadab/Irfan
- Imad
- Hasan/Amir/Junaid
- Shaheen/Shinwari

 

[MenInG]

Ok so this picture shows another story

 

[Markhor]

I think we're clutching at straws.

Based on what - one innings at Lord's ?

 

[MenInG]

Ok so this picture shows another story

I think we're clutching at straws.

Based on what - one innings at Lord's ?

.

 

[Adnan_Ilyas]

Come on boys make us proud

 

[babajee]

This is a fact. Azhar, Asad, Babar and Haris have no excuse now to not cash in.

 

[CadPakFan]

I expect a test series win but losses in ODI and T20I is 50/50

 

[Angrez Pakistani]

You have to be high on something to claim that Pakistan can win anything in South Africa. It’s a relatively new team and I don’t expect anything less than a whitewash in Tests and ODIs.

 

[QuickCrick]

A massive IF but if we beat SAF then this season might be remembered about teams being successful on away tours.
We were successful in England, England in Sri Lanka, New Zealand in UAE and India should comfortably beat Australia.

I know everyone is writing us off but I genuinely think it’ll be a closely contested series, my concerns are that we could match SAF in sessions won but still end up losing 3-0 due to mental fragility and losing the key session.

 

[Josh]

I am expecting a closely fought series but a win for Saffers 2-1. Pakistan will one test because CSA batting ain't that good.

 

[BaankeJi]

A massive IF but if we beat SAF then this season might be remembered about teams being successful on away tours.
We were successful in England, England in Sri Lanka, New Zealand in UAE and India should comfortably beat Australia.

I know everyone is writing us off but I genuinely think it’ll be a closely contested series, my concerns are that we could match SAF in sessions won but still end up losing 3-0 due to mental fragility and losing the key session.

India is still not expected to beat Australia - at least that is what it seems after day 1 of 2nd Test. They could lose this test.

 

[Abdul]

3-0 and a subsequent sacking/resignation is written all over Sarfraz’s face already.

"Pakistan's second greatest captain after Imran Khan."

 

[waleed88]

You have to be high on something to claim that Pakistan can win anything in South Africa. It’s a relatively new team and I don’t expect anything less than a whitewash in Tests and ODIs.

Isn't SA a new side as well? As far as I remember, this team isn't the settled unit and no.1 side in the world of 2013. That team had gunslingers in all positions with Dale Steyn in the pick of his bowling career. Not to mention the lineup of Smith, Devillers, Amla, Faf is a challenge for any bowling lineup in the world.

Our bowling is much better than the one we had the last time we toured (Ajmal being the main man, we had Mohammad Irfan - who played only one test match, Junaid Khan - who played only one game, Debutant Rahat Ali, Tanvir 115kph Ahmed and a declining Umar Gul)

 

[waleed88]

Isn't SA a new side as well? As far as I remember, this team isn't the settled unit and no.1 side in the world of 2013. That team had gunslingers in all positions with Dale Steyn in the pick of his bowling career. Not to mention the lineup of Smith, Devillers, Amla, Faf is a challenge for any bowling lineup in the world.

Our bowling is much better than the one we had the last time we toured (Ajmal being the main man, we had Mohammad Irfan - who played only one test match, Junaid Khan - who played only one game, Debutant Rahat Ali, Tanvir 115kph Ahmed,a declining Umar Gul and Ehsan Adil).

Dale Steyn isn't the same bowler he used to be.

Rabada and Philander are the main threats that will be very tough to negotiate.

If one batsmen do get stuck and we are not facing the 4th innings in a test match. There might be some chance for our team to get one victory.

 

[QuickCrick]

India is still not expected to beat Australia - at least that is what it seems after day 1 of 2nd Test. They could lose this test.

I’ll be very surprised if they didn't win this series, this is the poorest Australia side against arguably the best test side India has ever produced.

 

[Sunny_majoka]

Isn't SA a new side as well? As far as I remember, this team isn't the settled unit and no.1 side in the world of 2013. That team had gunslingers in all positions with Dale Steyn in the pick of his bowling career. Not to mention the lineup of Smith, Devillers, Amla, Faf is a challenge for any bowling lineup in the world.

Our bowling is much better than the one we had the last time we toured (Ajmal being the main man, we had Mohammad Irfan - who played only one test match, Junaid Khan - who played only one game, Debutant Rahat Ali, Tanvir 115kph Ahmed and a declining Umar Gul)

amir hasan shaheen and abbas sound much better than rahat junaid tanveer and gull,
but i dont think it will be enough we really need to lift our bating if we realy need to win one or two tests babar and haris can help the cause

 

[Hawkeye]

Lol.

LIAR!!!!

Here's the reality of PAK batting, in the last 5 years:

 

[Varun]

Pakistan have a lethal bowling attack as always.

If they can crack the South African line-up in one test or the other, batsmen like Azhar Ali or Asad Shafiq can follow through with the bat.

 

[Hawkeye]

Here it is, starting DEC 2011:

 

[Abdullah719]

Lol.

LIAR!!!!

Here's the reality of PAK batting, in the last 5 years:

Pretty obvious that he's talking about the current batting group i.e. the likes of Babar, Haris, Asad etc. who are probably better players of pace than spin.

 

[Varun]

Pretty obvious that he's talking about the current batting group i.e. the likes of Babar, Haris, Asad etc. who are probably better players of pace than spin.

Is that because Babar and Haris haven't had enough 'opportunities' to expose their techniques (frailties) in seaming conditions?

 

[Abdullah719]

Is that because Babar and Haris haven't had enough 'opportunities' to expose their techniques (frailties) in seaming conditions?

Babar has actually played more matches outside Asia than in Asia.

Anyway, this assumption is based on the fact that these players are all more comfortable on true pitches where the bounce can be trusted and where they can hit through the line. They aren't expert players of spin in the mould of Younis or Misbah. Whether that equates to them being able to bat well and make runs in SENA... well we'll see about that.

 

[ask_analyse_act]

Just like Australia, this is one of the weakest SAF team I've saw going into their home test. Get Markram early, and stop Faf getting a biggy and we might just see pakistan winning their first ever series in south Africa.

Pak have a knack of taking the big guns early and serving pies for an out of form player to find their feet and bring them into super duper form yet again

 

[Angrez Pakistani]

Isn't SA a new side as well? As far as I remember, this team isn't the settled unit and no.1 side in the world of 2013. That team had gunslingers in all positions with Dale Steyn in the pick of his bowling career. Not to mention the lineup of Smith, Devillers, Amla, Faf is a challenge for any bowling lineup in the world.

Our bowling is much better than the one we had the last time we toured (Ajmal being the main man, we had Mohammad Irfan - who played only one test match, Junaid Khan - who played only one game, Debutant Rahat Ali, Tanvir 115kph Ahmed,a declining Umar Gul and Ehsan Adil).

Dale Steyn isn't the same bowler he used to be.

Rabada and Philander are the main threats that will be very tough to negotiate.

If one batsmen do get stuck and we are not facing the 4th innings in a test match. There might be some chance for our team to get one victory.

Batting isn’t good enough. Plus, this bowling lineup will look mediocre five years down the road.

 

[greatest]

Pakistan will win quite easily. We play our best cricket away from home! We have the best bowling attack in the world and our batsmen love playing on hard bouncy wickets.

 

[warcry]

I think we're clutching at straws.

Based on what - one innings at Lord's ?

it is called motivation.

 

[MenInG]

Mickey Arthur, the Pakistan coach, is buoyant of his team’s chances in the Test series in South Africa.

The side have travelled to South Africa after losing their Test series against New Zealand, but Arthur is convinced the team is coming together well.

“We have a very exciting, young team that’s starting to gel well together,” Arthur said on Saturday, 15 December. “We’ve played unbelievable white ball cricket, our 50-over team is on the up, our T20 has been exceptional, but we are trying to build up a Test team at the moment.

“We really think we have a good chance out here.”

On the pacy South African wickets, Arthur was excited about what the Pakistani quicks could do. Mohammed Amir is back in the squad, and joins Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi and Faheem Ashraf as pace options.

“Our attack is exceptionally skillful in all conditions. The one thing we do know is that we've got a bowling attack that can take 20 wickets comfortably,” insisted the coach.

"They bat better outside the UAE than they do in the UAE"
“Our challenge is getting ourselves to 350, 400. If we can get runs on the board, we know that we can get 20 wickets and we can bowl in all conditions.”

The emphasis for the team is on the batting. In recent series, they have been prone to collapses – while they stuck it out to win against Australia, it proved costly against New Zealand. Yet, while being very aware of the challenge of playing against the South African pace attack, Arthur insisted his batsmen travelled well.

“I’ve told our batting group, that they bat better outside the UAE than they do in the UAE. They batted exceptionally well in England. There are some very talented young batters there, who bat on off stump not on leg stump any more, cover the bounce, the pace and swing,” he said. “They play very, very well in these conditions.”

For the South African-born Arthur, the tour is a bit of a homecoming and a chance to meet family in the holiday season. But he insisted his focus was all cricket. “No holiday,” he insisted. “I'll enjoy only if we win.”

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/944906

 

[Savak]

Have to admire Mickey for his enthusiasm and the fact he backs his team in public after humiliating set backs.

Dav Whatmore did not survive for more than 2 years and midway he gave the body language that he had enough and wanted out

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

He is right but he hasn't selected our best opener for similar pitches in Abid Ali who would have been successful in SA for sure.

You dont expect likes of Shan Masood to counter Sten, Rabada, Philander etc.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Mickey's overemphasis on fitness is worrying. He has left out Abid for Shan because Abid doesnt look 'fit'despite scoring mammoth innings in 4 days and even scoring 200 in one days. You cant score 200s without good fitness.

 

[Savak]

Mickey's overemphasis on fitness is worrying. He has left out Abid for Shan because Abid doesnt look 'fit'despite scoring mammoth innings in 4 days and even scoring 200 in one days. You cant score 200s without good fitness.

Question marks can be raised whether Pakistan has sufficient reserves and talent stocks to be able to afford a ruthless uncompromising attitude towards fitness.

Mickey Arthur obviously believes and comes from a culture, system where if you strive to do the basics right, the end result takes care of itself.

He needs to show some flexibility for eg, get Abid Ali in the team but then give him fitness targets and tell him in 5 months I want you weighing this much with this much body fat, needs to be a combination of carrot and stick approach.

 

[Abdullah]

Philander out of first test!!!
Fluke theory about to be re-hashed!!

 

[Abdullah719]

Well they definitely do find it easier to score outside UAE.

 

[Haroon786]

Well they definitely do find it easier to score outside UAE.

That's only a part of batting, who's to say that the reason they're scoring quicker is because of taking greater risks and therefore the faster the wickets are falling?

 

[aukhan]

Mickey just trying to motivate boys by lying to them

 

[MenInG]

meant solely for Babar Azam it seems.