Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur slams standard of pitches in South Africa

Waseem Ahmed 22:49 04/01/2019
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  • Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur.

    Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur slammed the standard pitches in South Africa after second day’s play in the Newlands Test on Friday.

    The visitors are staring down the barrel in the New Year’s Test, already 205 runs behind after being dismissed for 177 in the first innings.

    Arthur said batting in South Africa has become a lottery.

    “I’m a little bit disappointed to be honest. I haven’t been back to South Africa in a cricketing capacity since 2010. The standard of the wicket we had at Centurion and the wicket here (Cape Town) I think hasn’t been good enough for Test cricket‚” said Arthur‚ who coached South Africa from 2006 to 2010.

    Arthur said he was not in favour of home teams ‘tailoring’ conditions to such a degree.

    “When South Africa play a team from the subcontinent you are always going ask for a bit of bounce and pace. I think both wickets have been weighted in favour of the bowlers. Obviously it is home ground advantage and that is right. We get the ball to turn in the UAE.

    “I think it is inconsistent (bounce). I think there were seven stoppages for balls that hit cracks. And we are talking about day two and I would understand if it was days four and five. Pitches shouldn’t make your first innings a lottery.”

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