SA v PAK 2018-19: Mickey Arthur critical of the South African pitches

Arthur believes batting is really tough on the Proteas pitches.

Pakistan batsman badly struggling to score in South Africa | Getty Images

Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur was highly critical of the South African pitches that have been served during the ongoing three-match Test series on Friday (January 4), saying both Centurion and Newlands wickets was not good enough for Test cricket.

He also said that the surface was not easy to bat on after his team’s another poor total on the rainbow nation, as Pakistan managed to score only 177 runs in the first innings of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands, as they have already lost the first Test because of their below-par batting show.

Arthur, who coached South Africa from 2005 through to 2010, is really disappointed with the Proteas pitches, as Pakistan have been bowled out for 181, 190 and 177 in their three innings so far in the Test series here. In contrast, the hosts managed to score 382/6 at stumps on the second day at Newlands.

After second day’s play, Arthur told media, “I am little bit disappointed in that I haven’t been back to South Africa in a cricket capacity since 2010, and the wicket that we had in Centurion and the wicket that we had here (at Newlands) is not good enough for Test cricket.”

The coach continued, “We saw seven stoppages for balls that hit cracks today with the physio having to come out. And we are talking about Day 2. I understand if that was Day 4 and Day 5, because that is what happens in Test cricket – the wicket deteriorates. But it shouldn’t make your first innings a lottery. I think batting here in the first innings is really tough. I think poor Aiden Markram was outstanding yesterday. Being an opening batsman in South Africa at the moment is a tough gig.”

Commenting on Proteas, Arthur signed off by saying, “They are 382/6 and fair enough, but I still believe that it’s not a good contest. It has changed significantly since I was last here. We were also at 135km/h and South Africa’s bowlers were at 145km/h, and that 10km/h makes a big difference.”

(With www.iol.co.za Inputs)

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 05 Jan, 2019

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