WHAT’S ON PROTEAS
MICKEY ARTHUR swears he’s using his head and not his heart when he says which four teams will qualify for the semi-finals of the World Cup later this year.
“India, England, South Africa and Pakistan will be the top four (at the World Cup),” said Arthur, pictured, on Wednesday night after Pakistan’s consolation win over the Proteas in the third T20 international at Centurion. There followed a brief pause, before he added: “I say that with my head not my heart.”
Three of those four teams including the one Arthur currently coach’s can justifiably lay claim as strong contenders. India have won one-day international series’ in SA, Australia and New Zealand in the last 12 months. England are hosts and have won their last six series including defeating India last year, while Pakistan, as Arthur reminded everyone on Wednesday, won the Champions Trophy in England two years ago. But SA, as semi-finalists? Really? “I’ve been very impressed through all the formats. South Africa is in a really good position, there is a lot of talent in the country, they are well coached and the structure looks good,” said Arthur, who coached the Proteas from 2005 until 2010, a period that included the 2007 World Cup where SA reached the semis and were then thumped by eventual champions Australia.
What Arthur said next about the 2019 World Cup campaign, was crucial as far as the Proteas are concerned. “South Africa can go as far as they want to, as long as they believe they can,” he said.
Instilling that belief is probably going to be Ottis Gibson and Faf du Plessis’ hardest job once the final squad gathers ahead of the tournament. Arthur faced similar questions about the Pakistan team’s belief that it would win in SA the past few weeks. They brought a relatively young squad to SA and lost series in all three formats, but Arthur claimed there was reason to be optimistic.
“South Africa is a really tough place to tour, no Asian team has won (a Test series) here. Some of our boys have been on the road, staying in hotels for over four months,” Arthur said reflecting on Pakistan still playing away from home in the UAE due to security concerns.
“For us to have competed, held our poise and shown discipline through the one-day series, through the T20s, on the back of four-and-a-half months away, was fantastic.
“It would have been easy to throw in the towel, a lot of touring teams have done that – including Western sides when they come to the sub-continent. You get to a point where you have one foot on the plane, our guys never got to that point. Tuesday’s training session was as intense as the first training session we had.”
The fact remains however that Pakistan won just three out of the 11 international matches they played on the tour. Arthur is expecting a harsh assessment from that cricket crazy nation when he lands in Lahore today.
One aspect he is pleased has been clarified is the future of skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, who left SA early and under a cloud following a racial jibe aimed at Andile Phehlukwayo. While the pair made up later – with Phehlukwayo accepting the Pakistan captain’s apology – that incident along with Sarfraz’s poor form has led to calls from some quarters in Pakistan for him to be dropped.
However the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed he would remain as captain through until the World Cup. “It’s a hell of a good decision,” said Arthur.
“Saffie was feeling the pressure,
I think unfairly, and he needed that assurance. There’s clarity now and we can build for that World Cup. It was a very good decision to get it done early.”
Pakista’s next assignment is fivematch ODI series against Australia in the UAE at the end of March before they head to England where they will play another five-match ODI series against the hosts ahead of the World Cup. |